Six Ways to a Good First Impression at Each Door

Make a positive impression right away with these 6 tricks

Because door-to-door sales are fast-paced, making a good first impression is crucial to your success. And according to experts, you only have seven to 17 seconds to make that good first impression. Do not overlook the importance of a first impression because once it’s ruined, you can say goodbye to building trust at the door. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

To help you succeed, we made a list of six ways to make a good first impression so you can engage more potential leads and close more sales.

1.) Always look professional: Before you start a sales pitch, you are thoroughly inspected from head to toe like a father scanning a guy picking up his daughter. That initial moment with a customer will determine how they feel about you and if they can trust you. Seventy-one percent of customers buy because they trust you.

“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Don’t lose the customer’s trust and a potential sale because you look unprofessional. If you have to sacrifice 10 minutes of sleep to look professional-DO IT. Here is a quick list of how to look fresh.

•  Your sales polo isn’t a basketball so don’t wad into a ball and throw it a corner after you do laundry. Always hang up your polo shirts.
• Make sure your shorts and shirts are stain free. Hint: Buy more than two pairs of Dickie shorts for the summer. Have spares to fall back on if you get attacked by an unexpected big mac. And if a big mac does attack, invest in a good stain remover.
• After a day of knocking, clean your shoes with a warm rag. There are few things that feel better than rocking a fresh pair of sneakers as you sell.
• Dominate personal hygiene. Just because your mom or significant other isn’t around doesn’t mean you have the freedom to look like you just rowed for three weeks on a Viking warship. Brush your teeth, wear deodorant, put on lotion and shower frequently. And be sure to check your stone tablets (teeth) after you eat to make sure you’re not saving food for an afternoon snack.

2.) Watch your body language: Your body language plays a key role in your ability to make a good first impression. As you act confident, your pitch gets delivered with more confidence. Remember these body language tips at each door:

• Always stand up straight in the power position.
• Maintain eye contact and look engaged.
• Smile. Trust us, they are contagious. A genuine smile builds trust with the person. If you smile, it is likely the person will smile back. Just no creepy half smiles like our friend to the right.
• Be confident.

3.) Tweak your elevator pitch: Now that you cleared the two initial sales hurdles; you can begin your pitch. But what do you say? Remember, the potential customer standing in front of you has been bombarded with several door-to-door reps-so what sets you apart? Something that will set you apart is getting to the point fast. Why offer an appetizer when you can offer the entree? Highlight what your product will do for them and how it will benefit their life and then do it again! You will make a good impression if you can instantly define how your product will solve their problems, save them money/time or ease a pain point.

4.) Get personal, utilize names:  Use the name of the person you are speaking with at each door.  It shows you are engaged and don’t view them as another nameless sales number. People like being referred to their name.you will make a strong impression and build trust when you use someone’s name.

5.) Always use “I”: Using “I” in your pitch shows ownership and confidence in your product and company. Instead of saying, ‘I work for…and we are offering a great deal’ try, ‘I work for…and I am offering a great deal because I want you to save money.’ The “I” approach will build trust and make a good first impression on the door.

6.) Evaluate and adjust: Since the success of your summer depends on making good first impressions, it is important to evaluate what works, what’s failing and adjust accordingly. Walking to your next door or area is a good time to evaluate and adjust. You will make a good first impression as you follow this list and tweak and improve as the summer progresses. Here’s to making a good first impression!

Try it Out

Give these six simple tips a try the next time you’re knocking. You’ll be amazed at the results when you know inside secrets to making a good impression.