We’ve all learned that first impressions are important, but its not all its cracked up to be. Jim Berkowitz’s CRM Mastery E-Journal links to a report on a scientific study that distills the following truths (my summary):
- Finish strong–the last impression is strongest.
- Get the bad experiences out of the way early–See #1.
- Combine the pain, segment the pleasure–the number of experiences is more memorable than the size/importance of a single interaction.
- Build commitment through choice–Let them feel in control.
- Give people rituals and stick to them–Be predictable.
This is supposed to apply to customer service, but you could apply these rules to any number of relationship scenarios…even blogging.