You’ve probably heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” and it’s absolutely true. As a business professional, you KNOW the first impression can make or break your relationship with a potential client, customer, or employee. But, in a world where more of our interactions than ever have moved into a digital space, how do you ensure that your virtual first impression is as impressive as it would be in person?
One area where this is becoming more important than ever is the first interaction between a company and a new employee or distributor. Traditionally, this is a company’s first and only chance to establish a trusting relationship and inspire motivation to succeed.
At Verb, we’re experienced at helping you craft the ideal first impression in this scenario—we've been the number-one creator of welcome and starter kits in the direct sales space for the past decade, and our clients have raved about the positive reactions their customers have had while opening our carefully curated, professionally designed boxes. It’s a fun, tangible experience that can create rapport and engagement from day one. But now we’re part of a new world, one where the initial contact almost always comes through the internet instead of the mail, so it’s no wonder that we’re getting a lot of questions from our current and prospective clients about how to move forward.
Don’t worry—we've got you! We’ve compiled this list of tips for crafting the ultimate virtual first impression, one that will drum up just as much excitement as their physical counterparts.
Say Goodbye to Basic
While your baseline welcome kit might include many of the same pieces as a traditional, physical kit—like a welcome letter or an introductory presentation—there’s no reason these have to be boring. Consider embracing the digital medium and creating fun, interactive ways to share this information. For instance, you could replace a letter from the CEO with an interactive video, one that includes a link to a distributors-only promo code. Rather than a stale PowerPoint, you could craft a presentation that integrates heartfelt video testimonials, interactive quizzes, and powerful music to show what your company is all about. Above all, your focus should be on creating a visual-first experience that can drive excitement and build rapport.
(P.S. we always recommend including links to downloadable versions of every piece for ultimate practicality!)
Consider the Delivery Method
Sure, you could send an intro kit via a link in an email, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, we invite you to think outside the (digital) box about how to get your information in front of your customers’ eyes.
One option is to build a better website. Parallax websites are becoming more and more popular among visual-focused companies, and for a good reason—they're a fun, informative, and captivating way to present information. These are scrolling sites with moving elements, interactive video, and links to downloadable content. These sites have the ability to engage users in a way that keeps the eye moving, thereby creating interest and providing enhanced education. They can be built with unique URLs that are delivered to new distributors upon enrollment.
Another way to deliver a kit is through our fan-favorite: interactive video. These videos can come from either corporate or a new enrollee’s upline, and preferably feature a warm introduction to the company and links to the kit's elements.
Gamify The Learning Experience
For new distributors, there’s typically a lot to learn—to be truly successful, you’ll want to make sure your new enrollee understands the products, the company, the compensation plan, the sharing system, and compliance regulations. That’s where gamification comes in. As you’ll recall from previous blog posts, we’re big fans of using rewards-based and gamified learning management systems to create a streamlined and enhanced learning experience.
Our own LMS, LEARN, provides an opportunity for new enrollees to participate in lessons and earn badges/rewards for completing tasks, creating an educational experience that empowers them to be the most successful business owners possible. Integrating a gamified LMS into your welcome kit is another way to create an unmatched first impression.
Putting It All Together
There’s no reason you need to choose only one of these strategies to adopt. In fact, we encourage you to try all of them! You can even offer digital kits in conjunction with traditional physical kits to create a one-of-a-kind, truly engaging introductory experience for your new distributors and/or employees. If you’re interested in learning more about a digital welcome kit, or how you can utilize Verb’s innovative technology to grow your business, contact us today. We’d love to help you create a showstopping virtual first impression of your own!
About the author:
Wife, supermom, foodie, and talented critic, Heather Hanson, is a skilled veteran in copywriting, editing, creative writing, and social media outreach. She brings a lot to the table with Verb and has been recognized by our company as our National Treasure.