I talk a great deal here in the Home Business blog about marketing and public relations, as well as how to build a reputation as a small home-based business. But, just as it is important to set a good impression on the front end—when you are first networking and coming into contact with prospective customers and clients, it is also very important to leave a good and LASTING impression with people whom you have introduced to your business.
You want people to remember you and remember you well. That is the basic goal of leaving a good and lasting impression. But, how can you do that? Make sure that people you meet know where to find you—provide them with contact information, either in the form of a business card, a marketing flyer, or even jotting down your name, phone, and e-mail before parting can go a long way in making sure you are not soon forgotten. When you meet someone, your own social skills will have an impression—do you make eye contact, learn and remember their name, and speak clearly and simply? The more you seem like you have things “together” and are knowledgeable and passionate about your home business, the more you are likely to create a good impression.
Keep in mind that if you are attending a workshop, networking event, or just meeting someone at your child’s soccer game—how you conduct yourself in all of these situations will have an impression on people. You may think that you can separate out your business personae from the other parts of your life, but that is definitely not how other people see it. Conducting yourself well is one of the best ways to leave a good and lasting impression—regardless of where you are or what you are doing.
See Also: Simplifying Business Communication