Starting Off With First Impressions
By Dwight Fletcher, CEO Spearfish
Have you ever noticed that the most exciting time of anticipation during a hotel stay is often when you first open the door to your room, walk inside, and look it over (and, if you have kids, they start jumping on the bed!)? From our work at Spearfish, we have seen that, from that point on, the experience cascades downward as you get used to being in that room.
Conversation aside, the same holds true for eating out. The most exciting time there is when the food first arrives, hot and (hopefully) delicious, and you take that first bite. After that, the actual dining experience often falls to a lower level as you continue to consume your meal and work toward finishing it.
And when you meet people for the first time, unless it’s someone who you eventually become friends with, the most exciting time is when you are first introduced. After that, as you struggle to make conversation and find things in common to discuss, there can be a natural lowering of interest.
All of these situations have one thing in common: they all point to the importance of the first impression. Whether in your business or in your personal life, nothing is quite as important as making sure the first appearance or words out of your mouth capture the best version of yourself or your business offering. So, with that in mind, you should do everything you can to make sure the words you choose and the ideas you communicate are vetted and aligned with putting your best foot forward, for in most cases there will not be a second chance to create that first impression.