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We hope you enjoy reading the following column by Charles Marshall. After you are finished, please to return to the Motivational Column selection page for more column options. Need an Article on Business Motivation? Find a Motivational Article on Your Businesses First ImpressionIt's important to continue to learn about marketing management. This article helps you evaluate your businesses first impressions. If you need an article on business for motivation of your senior staff or employees, this marketing management article is a great choice. Read below for some inspiration in this motivational article by Charles Marshall!After meeting with some of my advisors, I’ve come to the unhappy conclusion that I need to redesign the cover of my forthcoming book. The conclusion is unhappy because I’ve already been through this process once with all of the accompanying headache and expenditure. I’m told the redesign is necessary though, because a large part of the reason people buy a book is the cover. Isn’t it odd that we’re told all our lives that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what we do? The old saying should be amended to, “You can’t judge a book by its cover, but remember that everyone always does!” To ignore this simple truth is to walk blindly into ruin and disaster. Now, understand that I’ve already been selling lots of prerelease copies of my book in corporate settings and am told it is one of the most encouraging and empowering books out there. But the truth is people have no way of knowing that unless the cover communicates that to them. The cover of every book is supposed to represent the content of the book in the most favorable light. All of our lives have a cover which, by the way, is not necessarily a bad thing. Our cover is the first impression we present, an initial revelation of our best selves as we desire the world to see us. Every business also has a cover. If you are in sales (and I maintain that everyone is selling something, even if it’s only their own credibility and competence), then the way you dress, the way you present yourself, the way you speak, the way you shake hands, how much you smile, your posture, your attitude... everything about you is your cover. If you are in business, it is vital that you are aware that your customer’s first impression is largely how they will view you afterward. If they cannot reach you because of a busy signal, most will not give you a second chance — there are just too many of your competitors who will be waiting for their call. If you don’t evince initial interest in what they consider important, they will assume you only care about their money and not about them But suppose you believe your first impression was blown by some sort of an error on your part — say a botched delivery or a miscommunication — don’t despair! Such a situation is really an opportunity in disguise. This might be a great chance for your customer to see how well you handle your errors. Years afterward they will remember, as part of their first impression of you, how well you came through for them. Before you walk out the door today, before you make your first presentation, before you shake anyone’s hand, take a good look at your cover. Does it need any polish? Does it need dusting? Or does it need a complete redesign? Remember, you can’t judge a book by its cover, but everyone always does! © 2004 Charles Marshall. Charles Marshall is a motivational speaker, author and president of M Power Resources, LLC. Visit his Web site at www.MPowerResources.com or contact him via e-mail at charles@MPowerResources.com. |
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