Three seconds, a quick glance, that’s the most amount of time it will take for someone to sum you up and make their initial assessment of you and your company. And once they’ve formed that opinion it’s nearly impossible to undo.

When you interviewed and were initially hired for your position you were careful to leave everyone you met with a great impression. But what about now that you’ve been on the job for a while? Are you still taking the same care to make sure you leave a good impression? After all, you are meeting new customers every day and they are making snap judgments about your company based on you!

Here are some of the things most people notice before deciding to give you and your business their preliminary stamp of approval.

Do you look the part?

Do you look composed and pulled together? Are your clothes neat and pressed or wrinkled? What about your grooming? Is your haircut tidy or getting a bit shaggy? Guys are you clean shaven or are you sporting a morning shadow? Ladies are you wearing an appropriate amount of make up? That means keeping your look more corporate climber than club-hopper. Being well put together not only leaves a good impression but helps you feel ‘the part’ by boosting your confidence.

Are you on time?

You client doesn’t care about your good excuse for running late. If you’ve wasted their time; they don’t like it.  Plan to arrive early and build a few extra minutes into your schedule for a chatty co-worker, your boss who wants a quick minute or any other unexpected delays in your day.  This is always better than showing up late, harried and full of excuses.

Let yourself shine!

Give a genuine smile and make eye-contact with someone when you meet them no matter what you’re in the middle of. This will immediately put people at ease and they will see you as honest, friendly and easy to talk to. Master the art of small talk, which is increasingly rare in our digital age. Keep in mind that conversations are a two way give and take and a terrific way to build customer relations.

Let your sunny side show!

Your attitude shows through everything you do. Project a positive attitude even in the face of criticism or when you’re feeling nervous or agitated. Of course always be courteous and attentive no matter the situation. As the old saying goes…never let ‘em see you sweat.