Every day, the computer technology world is rapidly changing. Now, it has become the means of business transaction like never before. On the internet, you can make or break a business deal that is worth millions, if not billions, by marketing your business in the right way. Eight seconds or less is all it takes to seal a successful business deal. And that is how long you need to leave an indelible impression on those you meet.
If you were a bull rider, eight seconds would seem like an eternity and for an ordinary person, eight seconds passes in a blink of an eye. But for a business person like you, the first eight seconds that you meet a prospective client online, they are enough for him/her to evaluate your business proposal, know your social standing, and your comparable business and consider whether you are suitable for further interaction. If your prospective client thinks you or your company for that matter to be what he was looking for, you stand a chance of being a valuable business contact or vice versa.
The eight-second rule of making a right business impression is a harsh reality, and you cannot change it, but you can do something to sway your prospective client’s first impression to your favour and here is how you can do that.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
When a customer clicks on your website, he will land on your business’s landing page. What kind of information have you put on the landing page of your web?
What picture does your landing page paint about your business? Ensure that on your landing page you have a beautiful and welcoming photo for example. You can make your business logo to be on the landing page such that when a client checks your site, he/she will automatically recognise your business. By using an appealing landing page, you stand a chance of capturing your customer’s attention and hence a positive first impression could have been formed and you are likely to win your client’s favour.
Your customers expect a related and attractive website which offers privacy and safety for an online business transaction. They also need an easy to navigate website where they can find all the information that they’re looking for with an accurate description of what you have to offer and a guarantee that your goods and services are the best that they can get anywhere on the internet.
Opening Line
Always be ready to respond and know a point of connection with your prospective client. Know your opening line well because what you say first to your client will have an impact on how he will perceive you.
An opening line might be a reference to a common or shared acquaintance. Everyone feels good when they are called by their names. When a client contacts you, in your opening line, ensure that you call them by their name and stay focused to the point at hand. Leave anything else you were doing and give total attention to your client. Ensure that you respond as soon as possible to queries or concerns such that the customer does not have to wait long for responses.
The opening line that you use should be simple yet likeable, have a good one, and you are on your road to winning your customer’s favour.
Be Available
The internet is the fastest and ever-evolving medium of communication in the business world because it is cost effective and you can reach many clients at the same time. Not only does online marketing cut your cost but also it helps you to be available 24/7 to respond, review and chat with clients.
Business people have tight schedules and that you are well aware, and so good business for you means you have to work with your customer’s availability. Being available to respond as soon as possible to your client’s concern can make a big impression on your favour.
By being available online shows your customers that you care doing business with them whenever they need you.
Respect
Customers want the freedom to do their shopping, and the internet offers them just that. A potential customer can take a decision to buy only when they feel that they have learned as much as they want about your wholesale business, products you sale or your services. Not only do online clients feel confident about the decision that they have made but also they feel respected when all their queries are well answered and know about the business that they are doing business with.
Online stores offer customers respect when under pressure to make a decision for a particular product without someone pressuring them to make a choice. After all, the money is theirs.
Language
Whether you like it or not, the language you use when communicating with your client can make or break your business transaction within the first eight seconds. If your business deals with local customers and you have a local language, use it to communicate with them.
Remember, not everyone can read or write English. So if a client contacts you with a mother tongue and you are familiar with it, shift to that language and meet your customer at his level. By so doing, you create an impression that you are willing to serve all customers alike.
If in your business website you decide to use more than one language, ensure that you make each native language section appear just like the English section. If there are graphics, layout or texts, ensure they are all similar.
The internet gives you a chance to meet almost anybody who might be interested in the products and services that you offer. Because of this, you need to communicate effectively to your customers.
In conclusion, therefore, the Internet gives customers a wide variety of options to get what they want. Customers want custom tailored information, freedom to make choices and immediate results. You have only eight seconds to make and retain a long-term business relationship with your clients if you wisely use them. All the best.
