iZania Blogs

As entrepreneurs, many of us go into business for ourselves because we don't like dealing with many of the aspects and cultures involved with having a traditional job.  I just didn't like dealing with a lot of the social issues.  It felt like a high school for grown-ups.  I didn't like having to pretend with people and looking at people knowing they are pretending with me.  The fake smiles as they do things to stab you in the back.  I digress though.  [I'm starting to have flashbacks.]  I left because of all of these things.
However, what we discover (or I've discovered) is some of the very things you dealt with in "Corporate America", you still have to deal with in your own business.  The truth is YOU ARE JUDGED BY YOUR APPEARANCE.  With a traditional job, you go on a job interview and you are judged on their first impression on you.  You make sure you are dressed appropriately.  You make sure you have on nice shoes, a manicure, your hair is nice.  You make sure you are well equipped with a resume and that you have an ink pen handy.  You prepare in advance with role play and reading on job interviews.  You make sure you ask the right questions and have the right answers.  All to make that ever important good first impression.  You go to the interview and are judged on all of those things.  Sometimes, it goes a little easier because you know somebody that knows somebody.  You've got the right connections. 
But whether you get the job or not is not strictly based on whether you can do the job or not.  It is based on that first impression...your appearance and whether you can clearly communicate in that meeting how effectively you can do that job.  In most cases, they want to know "What can you do for us?" and "At what cost?"
Attracting new clients actually is the same process.  You are judged by their initial impression of you.  This impression can be in a face-to-face meeting or it could be a virtually by visiting your website.  We encounter people all day everyday when you are "out and about".  That is why it is important to always look your best whenever you leave your home.  (Actually, I run my business from home and I try to at least look presentable when I don't leave home.  I have had clients that happen to "just be in the neighborhood" and drop by to pick something up or make a payment.)  How many times have you been out looking less than fabulous and regretted it?  Make that you no more.  It could be killing your business.
Next question, how many times have you been out and didn't have business cards or samples of your products or your portfolio?  It's like not having a resume at the job interview!  Have you ever not had paper or an ink pen to get their name and number (at the least)?  Whenever I go out, I make sure I have clean crisp business cards readily available.  I give a potential client a business card or two (and tell them the 2nd card is for a friend that may need it.)  I then ask them for their business card.  Their willingness to share their contact information with me is an indication to me on how serious they are about using my services.  It says to me they are willing to stand behind their expression of interest in the services I am offering.  Not only do I carry a pen and small notebook with me, I usually carry more than one pen because one may give out on me.
I also make sure my friends and family have my business cards too.  They are great "mouthpieces" for me.  Once when I was out, my mother was with me.  She approached a gentleman we prospected as a potential client as I lingered in the background.  She introduced me to him and gave him my business card.  He was highly impressed.  Later he said it was like I had an entourage.  Of course, he became a client.
Lastly, you have a very short window of time to make a good impression by what you say.  Beforehand just like for an interview, you should have all of the right answers. You know or will know the kinds of questions a potential client will ask.  If not, do a little research and role play to try to prepare yourself for any objections they may have.  Ask others that you trust, their opinion of what they think will be concerns for future your customers. Also, be able to verbalize the benefits of your product or service.  In most cases, this is known as an elevator speech.  It is called that because you should be able to give it in 30 seconds. (We'll talk about that in another blog.)
Basically, it is very important that as a business owner or as an entrepreneur, you guard your appearance and always be ready to make that good first impression. When you go out look professional.  Be prepared with business cards and any other items that will help a client make a decision about your product or service. Be prepared to clearly communicate the benefits of your product or service.

Camille K. Dykes of Dykes' Desktop - "Where Image Is Everything"