How to Overcome a Bad First Impression in Sales

Close the sale, even after a bad first impression.

It's been said that you can't come back from a bad first impression, but that's not always true. If you work in sales and your pitch didn't get off to a great start, all is not lost. It may take a while to dig yourself out of that hole, but it is possible. Work hard and be persistent, and you'll be back on your customer's good side before too long.

Instructions

1. Apologize as soon as you realize you've done something wrong. The longer you wait, the worse it'll be, so don't delay. Sound as sincere as you can, but make it short and sweet -- an overdone apology is almost as bad as no apology.

2. Blame yourself for the mistake, not anyone else. Passing the blame will make you look irresponsible and immature.

3. Make a joke, but only at your own expense. Poking fun at yourself will help make light of the situation.

4. Move on from the mistake. Instead of dwelling on what you did wrong and trying to correct it, just do your job. Pretend like nothing bad happened and make a good impression throughout the rest of your pitch. Several good impressions may outweigh a bad one.

5. Give the customer your best pitch. Share everything you have to offer. A good deal may make more of an impact than you did.

References

• Susan Fee: Overcoming a Bad First Impression
• American Marketing Association: Just Give Me Another Chance
• Entrepenuer; "You Can Overcome a Poor First Impression", Adam Pringle, March 2010