No doubt you’ve heard how important it is to make a good first impression. If we behave rudely, don’t comb our hair, have the wrong color shoes on or anything else that might not give the ideal first impression, we don’t get a chance to do that again. Alternately, there is another impression that is oftentimes overlooked (or at least not given as much scrutiny) – the last impression. I’m not talking about a last impression as in the final time ever seeing the person, but rather the last impression for that one interaction. For example, there is always a lot of focus placed on the entrance of a store. It’s usually bright and clean, and if you are entering a Walmart for example, you are often greeted with a “Hi, how are you?”
However, when you leave, you’re exiting through the clean, bright physical area, but there is often no memorable impression – just a cashier handing you your items and saying, “Have a good day.” I often frequent Kwik Trip, a local convenient store, and when you leave you almost always hear something along the lines of, “Thanks for stopping, we’ll see you next time.” Not only do I walk out of a clean, well-lit location, but I’m also leaving with the idea that I will be back again.
Email signatures can work in the same way. Instead of just having your basic contact information, add in a quick quote or a funny joke: a quick line to show who you are and what you and your company stand for. In my email signature, I have my name, phone number, email, link to my company website, a few words about what we do, and then one of my favorites quotes by Thomas Jefferson – “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” It doesn’t sound like much, but you’d be surprised how many times I’ve had people comment on it and that it was refreshing to hear. I’m doing my best to leave a good last impression. After all, the most recent interaction with you, be it in person or electronic, is the one that is most likely to stick. Be sure to take advantage of that final opportunity to make a great “last” impression!
