While it may be a very old adage, first impressions play a major role in how people perceive your business. The first interaction a customer has with your business will determine their future relationship with you.
Research indicates that it takes only about 1/10th of a second to form a first impression about a person. In other studies it takes about 50 milliseconds to decide whether to stay or leave your website. When it comes to other media such as print, studies show that people look at print ads for 2 to 4 seconds, so once again this points to the fact there is little time to capture a person鈥檚 attention to make an impression.
Amongst the many techniques available to marketers today perhaps the most important is the use of visuals. To highlight how important this can be, a study by Stanford University found that 94 per cent of first impressions when it comes to websites are design related.
The reality is that by incorporating visual content you can increase engagement, build on brand awareness and drive conversations. Today we live in a visual-concentrated world. It is much easier to convey information and even generate emotion through imagery than with words.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
It is not only a picture that can make a good impression but also good graphic design. A well-executed ad whether in print or on social media has a greater chance of taking that fraction of a second of attention and turning it into an opportunity to make that first impression stick out over all the other ads that are trying to get the viewer to stop and take a longer look.
While good visuals are essential to making a good first impression remember they must be relevant to your target customer. Assuming you know what delights your customers, aim to develop your messaging around visuals that are tailored to their interests.
The concept of creating a good first impression should transcend throughout your business. From the way you or your staff present themselves in front of customers, to your booth at a trade show or if you operate out of a retail location think in terms of what a customer will think when they enter your store.
Making a good first impression is not something to be taken lightly. The businesses that thrive over the long term have recognized that making a good first impression is not a conquest but more of a courtship. They attract customers with open arms to help build strong bonds that will make that first impression last.
One final observation and something to think about when developing a marketing strategy focused on creating a good first impression is another relevant adage 鈥� you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.
Joe Smith is a communications consultant and an accomplished fine artist. He can be reached via email at joesmith@shaw.ca
