You know that feeling when you’re about to pitch a company and your first impression was so wrong that you just can’t get it right? You start to feel nervous, won’t know what to say, and your mind can’t seem to make up its mind about what to do? It’s like trying to read a book and you can’t seem to make your favorite chapter headings and pictures come together.
That feeling is all too common when you first get started in business and you start a business that you’re passionate about. But, at the same time, it’s not something that you can change or control. So, how can you make your first impressions better and get your business idea heard more often? Here are a few ways:
Plan your meeting
When you’re first getting started in business, you have to plan your meetings so that you have a sense of when and where you’re going to meet people, what topics you need to discuss, and what questions you need to answer. This is important because it will drastically help you avoid making poor first impressions.
Have a plan
You need to plan out all the steps that will get you to the point where you can start talking to customers, potential customers, investors, etc. First, you’ll have to decide how you’re going to get there and where you want to start.
Before you speak to anyone, think about what your plan is for getting there. Are you trying to get something for nothing? Or, are you just going to spool out bits and bytes without a plan? If you’re going this route, make sure that you have a plan for how you’re going to get there. You can use the same business plan that you used when you were in high school or college as a guide.
Networking is key
You’ll need to network with people in order to keep your business afloat. You can’t just walk into a room and start talking to people randomly because that would be rude and unprofessional. People want to be connected to sources of information and expertise. It’s what they’ve been trained to do, so you have to make sure that you’re bringing people into your office who you can meet regularly for hours on end.
You can also use networking to your advantage. If you know people in industry who you don’t necessarily know by name, you can invite them to your office for drinks or dinner when you’re in a social mood. It can also double as an opportunity to meet up with old friends who may not have seen each other in a long time.
Create a memory board
You can use your first meeting as a memory board. This is a great way to share your first impressions and show what you’ve accomplished so far. Having a board of favorite dates and milestones on which you first met and spoke to people can also help you visualize what happened, what you’re working towards, and what you’re looking forward to.
It’s also a great way to give yourself a pep talk and remind yourself that you’re not failure free just yet. You can also use your first meeting as a “pep talk” to your employees and managers. If you have a “hare-brained” idea or a “crazy idea” that no one ever seems to see the potential in, you can use your first meeting as a chance to share those ideas and show them what you’ve got.
Make your environment more productive
You need to make your office more productive so that you can spend more time with your family and friends, take moreazing care of your health, and spend less time worrying about what’s happening in the outside world. Every little bit counts and will help you to make your business a more successful and successful one.
You can boost productivity by using a remote office or laptop setup. This will allow you to remotely access your office from any computer, laptop, or mobile device, which will help you to do your work more effectively. You can also schedule work-in-processes so that you have less stress and time is spent on irrelevant things.
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback
Asking for feedback is usually more constructive than you might think. You might not know what anyone’s problem could be but you definitely don’t want to miss out on any valuable advice that they might give.
If you receive feedback that you don’t like, try looking in the mirror and seeing if that’s the case for you too. Many people find that their only recourse when they don’t like what they’re doing is to take a look at themselves in the mirror and realize that they’re definitely not looking 100% perfect!
Craft and share an agenda
As your business grows, you’ll start to have more meetings and teleconferences, which will make it harder for someone to attend from the outside. It’s also harder for you to stay in contact with people because you won’t be able to freely communicate with them on the other side of the globe. So, always keep a business calendar that you can easily see what’s coming up next and mark down any upcoming meetings or sessions that you want to attend.
Encourages participation
There’s no point in doing anything if you’re only going to say “no” to everyone.” So, make it a goal to always say “yes” to every opportunity that comes your way. You can also make it a rule that you’ll never say “no” to people unless they ask first. It can be tempting to say “yes” to every new customer that you meet and never say “no” to people who might be interested in you but aren’t yet ready to invest.
That’s how you stay motivated and excited about your business. When everyone is equally interested, you can be more likely to get a deal or sign a contract. This will also help you to attract customers and build loyalty.
Bottom line
Nowadays, it’s easy to forget about the mistakes that you can’t control. But if you keep making the same mistakes over and over again, things will getting harder. Instead of feeling bad for yourself, try to take positive action and learn from your mistakes so that you can become a better person.
