Making a Solid First Impression

Now that most small companies have scaled back their marketing budgets, it's more important than ever to use word-of-mouth advertising to promote your business. But if you're not naturally inclined to sing your own praises at a cocktail party, getting the word out about your business is anything but easy. Not sure how to communicate the right message while networking? Need help engaging potential clients? This Entrepreneur.com article offers tips to help you become a walking billboard for your enterprise. Here are a few highlights:

Watch your body language. Be sure to establish eye contact and appear relaxed during conversation. If you look nervous, you'll make the person you're talking to feel nervous as well.

Be a good conversationalist. Once you get past the handshake, simple conversation skills are the key to a successful first meeting, the article says. Make sure not to focus the entire conversation on yourself so you don't appear to have an agenda.

Mind the tone of your voice. If you don't control your tone, you could give off a negative impression to those around you. If you speak too quietly you'll seem uncertain, but if you speak too quickly and loudly, you could come across as anxious. The key? Speak in moderate tones, and use about 145 words per minute.

Click here for more ways to use word-of-mouth advertising without alienating potential new customers.