Making a good first impression on a prospect is the first step in building a solid, long-term relationship.

There is much more to making an impression than dressing or carrying yourself appropriately, which is expected of you. What’s important is what you say and do during that first meeting.

“Everybody has a different approach,” says Kevin Sullivan, vice president, portfolio manager and advisor with MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier Inc. in Toronto. “You must know your comfort zone and try not to be somebody else.”

Here are five ways to help ensure you make a good first impression:

1. Focus on the prospect
Make the person you are talking to — not yourself — the focal point of the conversation, says Heather Holjevac, a financial planner with TriDelta Financial Partners in Oakville, Ont. Show respect and care, she says, and demonstrate your appreciation that the person has taken the time to meet with you.

Give the prospect 100% of your attention and avoid any distractions, such as phone calls and cellphone alerts.

2. Be prepared
Create a structure or an agenda for your meeting, Holjevac advises.

If possible, find out as much as you can about the prospect before getting together, she says, which can help you “break the ice.” For example, try to find out what interests the prospect may have, or if you have any interests in common.

Demonstrate a positive attitude. “Have confidence in who you are, she says, “and that you can provide good value.”

3. Create rapport
Holjevac suggests making small talk to encourage prospects to tell you as much as possible about themselves.

Ask the right questions. Your goal, Holjevac says, is to find out what’s important in order to determine what you can offer. Strive for a free-flowing conversation that is based on give and take, so neither of you is dominating the conversation.

Use open-ended questions when you are looking for detailed answers. For example: “Can you elaborate?” Or, “What do you mean when you say …?”

4. Look for a good fit
Ask yourself whether you will be able to work with the prospect as a client and have a good long-term relationship. Remember that you could be laying the foundation for a deep client/advisor relationship, Sullivan says.

5. Keep it simple
Don’t do any paperwork. And avoid using charts and presentations during the first meeting, Holjevac says. Keep it low-tech and focus on getting to know the client.

And don’t try to make a sale. The biggest mistake, Sullivan says, would be to try to land the account during the first meeting.