HOW NOT TO SOUND LIKE A DAMN FOOL

All is won or lost in just a few seconds. This can be a
terrifying thought. Lasting impressions are made during the
first few moments after you meet a person. Thus, your first
meeting may be your only opportunity to generate a favorable
outcome.

This is the point where a failure to prepare sets the stage
for disaster. I define this terrifying event as "The Dialog
Dilemma". That's when your mind freezes during the struggle
for just the right thing to say. When your fear of saying
the wrong thing causes a brain lock.

Is there a cure for "The Dialog Dilemma"? Absolutely. Do
you remember the expression "Preparation precedes
opportunity"?. Or, this one: "Failing to prepare is
preparing for failure".

YOUR KEYS TO A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION, and to avoiding
disastrous misstatements and blunders. First, get all your
systems focused on your purpose and intended outcome for
your meeting. Second, have a wide arsenal of opening
questions that will provide control of the conversation.
Third, listen with total focus and interest to each
response. It's impossible to blunder while you are
listening.

GREAT FIRST IMPRESSIONS are about the other person. It's
when the individual you've met realizes that he or she is
your primary focus, that they will never forget you.