When introduced to a prospect for the first time, the way you present yourself and your business could make the difference between forgettable small talk and a deep client relationship.

Your initial conversation with a prospect creates a lasting impression, says Sylvia Garibaldi, a business-building coach with Toronto-based SG and Associates. Coming across as too “salesy” or aggressive can ruin your chances of future business.

Garibaldi offers these four tips to get a conversation about your business off to a good start:

1. Listen
Ask questions, Garibaldi says, to find out as much as you can about your prospect. Let your prospect do the talking.

Listening allows you to find out what you have in common with the prospect, Garibaldi says, and what financial issues are important to him or her. Knowing more about the potential client will help you determine how best to introduce your business.

For example, if the prospect mentions that making regular RRSP contributions is difficult, she says, sharing a story of how you helped a client in the same situation will pique the client’s interest.

If, on the other hand, you just start talking about what a great stock picker you are, the prospect is likely to lose interest because that skill doesn’t address his or her need.

2. Keep it general
When introducing your business to a client, Garibaldi says, convey the message that you can help, but leave the details for another meeting.

Never talk about specific solutions, results or products during an initial conversation, she says. Instead, your goal should be to make a connection with the prospect, find out what you have in common and talk generally about how you might be able to help him or her.

3. Skip the jargon
Speak at the prospect’s level of knowledge.

“The sign of a really intelligent and successful advisor,” Garibaldi says, “is someone who can boil down the complexity of a financial issue into simple layman’s terms so that the prospect gets the idea.”

4. Love what you do — and let it show
When a prospect sees that you are enthusiastic about your business, Garibaldi says, you have made a good impression.

“Be passionate about what you’re talking about,” she says, “so that the prospect gets a good sense that you really love the work you do in helping people with their finances.”