Selling Today: Partnering to Create Value, 14/e

The Social Contact—Building Rapport

According to many image consultants, “First impressions are lasting impressions.” This statement is essentially true, and some profitable business relationships never crystallize because some trait or characteristic of the salesperson repels the prospective customer. Sales personnel have only a few minutes to create a positive first impression. Susan Bixler, author of The New Professional Image, describes the importance of the first impression this way:

Books are judged by their covers, houses are appraised by their curb appeal, and people are initially evaluated on how they choose to dress and behave. In a perfect world this is not fair, moral, or just. What’s inside should count a great deal more. And eventually ...