It has been said that the opening is more important than the closing. Be enthusiastic, but don’t overdo it to the degree that you may seem phony or unnatural. But don’t be an expressionless “dead pan” either. Often it is the small chit-chat at the beginning of the conversation that opens the door to rapport.
Being natural is like a razor’s edge that requires intuitive human skill so that you don’t appear arrogant, complacent or pushy. Your initial exposure may be the most important aspect of the entire relationship that unfolds between you and the prospect. Greeting your customer is the beginning of a momentum towards a friendship, trusting and closing. Surveys show that people make their strongest impression of you in the first five seconds. In greeting, you are making your first impression, and fair or not, it often sticks the hardest.