You know that saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”? It’s spot-on, especially when it comes to customer interactions. Whether it’s a potential client walking into your store, visiting your website, or having that first phone call with your team, those initial moments are essential. Why?
First impressions matter because they stick with customers. In fact, customers are far more likely to form an opinion of your product or service based on that initial interaction rather than any actions you take later on. That’s why it’s so important to get things right the first time.
Win over a customer with a great first impression, and you could earn their loyalty for a year, two years, or a lifetime. Disappoint a customer by underdelivering and you risk losing their business altogether. And let’s be real, in a competitive market, you want every advantage you can get.
Just like a few small factors can determine whether or not you acquire a customer, developing a great first impression is often all about the small things. Below, we’ve listed six techniques you can use to win over customers and make a great first impression right from the beginning.
So, let’s get started and make those first moments count.
The Science Behind First Impressions
Research shows that you have about seven seconds to form a good first impression, whether you’re meeting someone in person or onboarding them as a new customer for your product.
This rapid assessment is a survival mechanism rooted in our brain’s need to make quick decisions based on limited information. Our brains are wired to swiftly process visual and verbal cues, assessing factors like trustworthiness, competence, and likability almost immediately.
These initial judgments are incredibly sticky. Once formed, they tend to stick around and influence how we interpret future interactions. If someone’s first impression of you is positive, they’re more likely to overlook small mistakes or negative experiences later.
As a matter of fact, research by Salesforce indicates that 75% of customers are likely to continue doing business with a company, even after a mistake, if the company’s customer service is excellent. On the other hand, a negative first impression can create a bias that’s hard to overcome, even if the following interactions are positive.
Ready to learn how to create those amazing first impressions? Let’s move on to the techniques that will help you shine.
1. Introduce yourself and make it as easy as possible to get support
How easy is it for customers to contact you? 71% of consumers have ended their relationship with a company because of poor service, making it essential that you’re easy for customers to reach and talk to.
When a new prospective customer joins your free trial or a customer purchases your software, how easy is it for them to find your contact or support information?
Simply presenting it to your new customers and letting them know you’re available is often all it takes to win them over. Customers are so accustomed to minimal support that just being there – and being available – is all you need to do to stand out.
Offer great service and you’ll keep them as customers for a long time. As simple as it might seem, an action as minor as including your phone number in an onboarding email is often all it takes to show customers that you are there, you care, and you are available.
At Retently, we are using Intercom for in-app support. Connect with your users through in-app messages that look and feel native to your web or mobile app, and make sure you are always available.
2. Be there before they need your help
Customers will interact differently with your product. Some will feel savvy, while others might encounter difficulties – you should always be there to help them out. At Retently, we use services like Hotjar and Mouseflow to constantly monitor customers using our CX product.
When a customer seems puzzled, our Customer Success team immediately engages them to help overcome any obstacle.
Monitoring your customers’ behavior by reading heat maps or watching recorded sessions is a great source of indirect feedback. This will give you invaluable insights into how to improve your product in order to make it more appealing and valuable for your clients.
3. Send personalized, human onboarding emails
Many SaaS businesses drop the ball as soon as they acquire a new customer (or trial user) by sending out a generic, non-personalized onboarding email.
The more personal your communications with customers are, the more important they’ll feel. Sending out automated, non-personalized emails – especially from an info or similar email address – delivers a very specific message to customers.
When a customer opens his inbox and finds a generic message from an info or no-reply address, he may assume he’s not worth your while. On the other hand, a personalized email from a real person delivers two important messages:
- You’re interested in communicating directly with your customer
- The customer can contact you easily via email in case any difficulties or questions arise
Whenever possible, avoid sending messages from a generic email address, especially without any personalization. Not only will you make customers feel more welcome — you’ll also achieve a higher open and click-through rate.
4. Tell customers exactly what to expect next
It’s a crucial principle for your customer acquisition and onboarding process. By telling your clients exactly what will happen next, you remove the confusion that all too often causes users to give up on new applications.
There are two ways to do it. The first is to tell users what to do. By adding a soft call to action directing customers in each of your onboarding messages, you create a clear path to follow.
The second is to tell users what will happen next. This means adding a P.S. note to your emails alerting people about what they’ll receive tomorrow, next week, or next month. Because your customers know what’s coming, there’s far less confusion or frustration.
5. Understand your audience’s needs and priorities
The more you understand your audience, the easier you’ll find it to deliver a great experience for them.
Ritz Plumbing, which was profiled in a Forbes article on customer service, realized that its target had a higher-than-average level of interest in Bitcoin. As a result, it added Bitcoin to its range of payment options, earning publicity and increasing customer satisfaction at the same time.
Have you ever discovered a great product or service, only to back away because it didn’t offer a feature you needed? From payment options to integrations, people often reject products based on missing features.
On the other hand, when people find your product and discover that you offer something that’s massively valuable to them, their first impression is fantastic. They’re immediately interested in your product or service and are motivated to try it (or, if no trial is available, to buy it).
The better you understand your audience, the easier you’ll find it to offer the features they need and prioritize. What are the key features or integrations that would let you make an amazing first impression on every customer?
6. Deliver on your promises right away
It’s easy to win over customers with big promises, but you’ll struggle to retain them if you can’t deliver.
If you market your product or service based on specific features, make sure they’re available as soon as customers buy your product. Better yet, build your onboarding process and tour around the features that play the biggest role in your product’s marketing.
This way, customers will feel familiar with your application’s major selling points as soon as they start using it. They’ll also receive the value they sought right away instead of having to look for it on their own.
The easier it is to use your application and access its full value, the better your first impression will be. Deliver on your promises right from the start through a great user experience and you’ll win over customers quickly and retain them for the long term.
Here are more ideas on how to avoid falling into the trap of making promises you can’t keep:
- Set Realistic Expectations: Always communicate what you are confident your business can deliver. It’s better to surprise a client with a quick turnaround or an extra feature than to fail to meet a deadline or deliverable.
- Clear, Accurate Descriptions: Ensure that all descriptions of services or products are clear and accurate. Misunderstandings can lead to expectations that aren’t met, which can disappoint and drive customers away.
- Follow Through: If you’ve committed to something during a first meeting, whether it’s a follow-up call or a demo, make sure it happens as discussed. Reliability from the get-go sets a powerful precedent.
Learn What Your Customers Think of You
Every customer interaction is an opportunity – not just to sell, but to forge a connection that could blossom into a long-term business relationship. Viewing each interaction through this lens encourages a more thoughtful and customer-centric approach, where making a great first impression is seen as the first step in building trust and loyalty.
Consistent positive first impressions yield significant long-term benefits, such as:
- Customer Loyalty: Customers with positive initial interactions are more likely to return. Their continued business boosts sales and reduces the costs of acquiring new customers. That is especially relevant since, according to industry estimates, customer acquisition costs have surged by as much as 60% over a span of five years.
- Brand Reputation: Positive first impressions can enhance your brand’s reputation, making satisfied customers more likely to recommend your business to others. In a digital world, where product reviews and social media play a key role in marketing, a good reputation can be one of your strongest assets.
- Competitive Advantage: In competitive markets, the ability to make a memorable and positive first impression can set your business apart from others. It’s an effective way to capture and retain customer interest and preference.
The better you understand your customers, the easier you’ll find it to retain them. Retently lets you gather, analyze and act on customer feedback using simple, yet highly effective Net Promoter Score, CSAT and CES surveys.
Learn more about Retently’s unique features and start using our specialized CX survey software to measure and grow your customer satisfaction today.
Remember, your effort in these initial moments can define your business’s path forward. Embrace each customer interaction as a key touchpoint that can boost your business, one impression at a time.
Christina Sol 
Greg Raileanu 
