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.