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First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions

Written by: Barbara Spagnola

Article Overview: When you meet someone for the very first time either you remember something very good about the person or you remember something very bad about them. It doesn’t matter how delightful the person might be or how brilliant they might be, if they do not register a good impression in the first few seconds, in your mind, they have nothing to offer you.

First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions

When you meet someone for the very first time either you remember something very good about the person or you remember something very bad about them. It doesn’t matter how delightful the person might be or how brilliant they might be, if they do not register a good impression in the first few seconds, in your mind, they have nothing to offer you.

Here is an example. You attend a conference and you are introduced to Paul, one of the speakers on the agenda. The first thing you notice is Paul is wearing a wrinkled shirt; his hair is greasy; he has bad breath and barely acknowledges your presence. You conclude that Paul is lazy because he didn’t bother to iron his shirt and he has poor hygiene because of his breath and hair. He doesn’t seem very friendly. Your first impression is Paul couldn’t possibly have anything credible to say given his appearance and interpersonal skills. Next, you are introduced to Kate, another speaker on the agenda. She is well groomed and dressed very professionally. She automatically extends her hand to shake yours and gives you a very warm welcome. You are so impressed by her appearance and congeniality you can’t wait to hear her speak.

These are examples of how quickly we make decisions and judgments about people and things. Within seconds, you decided whether or not you wanted to spend your time listening to Paul or Kate, not based upon what they have to say, but based on your first impression of them.

That first impression is just as important for a postcard campaign. You only have a few seconds to get the potential customer’s attention. It is tricky with postcards because you don’t know whether the reader sees the front or the back first.

For this reason, it is critical to make the front and back equally attention grabbing. The back of the postcard is only distinguished from the front because it has the mailing address. Here are some ideas for making a good first impression with your post cards.

• Use high quality, glossy, color postcards. They are slightly more expensive but well worth it when trying to make a good impression.

• Choose the appropriate size for your campaign and audience. Studies have shown that businesses respond better to the 6”X9” postcard whereas residence and consumer contacts respond just as well to 4”X6” postcards.

• Use an attention grabbing headline on the front and perhaps paraphrase the same message on the back. Make sure your name and contact information appears on the back but don’t hesitate to put your logo and some of that same information on the front.

• Use a photograph or graphics that is complimentary to both the front and the back. Everyone likes pictures and pictures tend to register with the reader much quicker than words.

Remember, with postcards you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of the reader. The success of your postcard campaign depends on how many people respond to your offer. Improve your chances of being successful by making a good and lasting first impression.

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Article Tags: appearance, bad breath, color postcards, congeniality, decisions, glossy color, good first impression, interpersonal skills, judgments, mailing address, making a good first impression, poor hygiene, post cards, postcard campaign, presence, speakers, warm welcome



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