The secrets of successful first contact with a client.

When communicating with a potential client, a manager goes through several stages in which he must:

• make a first impression,
• attract the attention of the client,
• introduce himself,
• interest the interlocutor,
• ask questions to the client,
• listen to the interlocutor,
• propose a solution to the problem,
• Let’s study each stage in more detail.

The first contact with the client is extremely important, so the manager must make a pleasant first impression. The opinion of a specialist of the company the client will form during the first 30-40 seconds, during which he will determine whether to trust the manager, whether he is an expert in his business, and so on. The manager must pay special attention to the overall appearance, tone of voice, movements, gestures and facial expressions.

Tools for making contact
For the first contact with the client, the manager must be prepared. To do this, he can use the following tools:

1. Scripts .
   Scripts are special speech constructions used in communication with the client. Interaction is built according to a certain scheme, improvisation is practically excluded. Of course, it is practically impossible to prescribe exact scripts for personal meetings (they are more suitable for cold calls), but it is still recommended to stick to the key parameters of behavior.
2. Appearance
   To make the client feel comfortable and ready for cooperation, the manager’s appearance should be impeccable.
   While working with the client, the manager should not use headphones, talk on the phone (it is better to turn off the buzzer), and use chewing gum.
3. Emotional coloring of the conversation. The specialist should choose the appropriate intonation, rhythm and volume of voice. In a conversation, it is better to use positive words (“Good day”, “Fine”, “You are lucky,” etc.), ask unobtrusive questions, etc.
4. Psychological techniques and methods of first contact. To establish contact with a client it is possible to use not only verbal and visual tricks, but also psychological tricks and techniques: Smiling,Mirror Man, Mentioning experts and quotes.
5. In a conversation with a client, it is possible to refer to popular personalities, scientists, experts, etc. and their statements. The constructions “We are with you…”, “Together…”, etc. allow you to achieve a sense of unity – the client will believe that the manager is just as interested in solving the problem.

Mistakes in making contact:
During work with the client, managers can make mistakes which are guaranteed to lead to a negative reaction, and cooperation can be forgotten. Among the most common are:
Invasion of personal space. The manager must maintain a social distance of 0.7-1 m from the client.
Improperly chosen tone of voice. When communicating with the client, ingratiation, cold tone or arrogance should be avoided. The manager should talk to the potential customer as an equal and adjust to the volume and tempo of the interlocutor’s speech as he speaks.
Increased Attention. The manager should not put pressure on the client’s psyche and be unnecessarily persistent.
The manager speaks, and the client is silent. The client and the manager should speak approximately the same – this is the key to a successful conversation. If necessary, the specialist should ask leading questions and involve the client in the conversation in every possible way.