11 Tips on Making a Great First Impression
11 Tips on Making a Great First Impression |
Whether you are going out on a date, meeting up with a client, or going for a job interview, your partner’s first impression of you is a crucial factor in determining how the events of the day turn out. Andrew Grant said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”. And we believe he couldn’t have said it any better.
Considering this, it’s best not to mess up when you meet someone for the first time. Usually, it is with this initial information that you will be attributed lasting qualities and defects. And we all know how difficult it is to peel off a label that has been stuck on you. To get off to a good start, here are a few surefire tips to having a great first impression. Let’s go!
Although we try to be better humans, we mostly form a first impression of a person from the clothes they wear. Honestly, who can help but judge a book by its cover? Certain clothes represent certain social codes, therefore you must expect to be judged by the yardstick of the given context.
To make a good impression, it is, therefore, necessary to know how to blend elegantly into the different environments in which you operate. If you are going on a date, do not dress like you are going for a business meeting. Don’t wear something provocative either to a boardroom meeting. Clothes do matter. Take your time to make a statement with the clothes you wear.
2. Dress to Impress
Show you value what the other person thinks by putting in extra effort to look great, at least, more than usual. Wear tight-fitting clothes. The primary quality of a garment is neither its brand, nor its design, nor even its material. The first quality of a garment is to be in your size. A cut that is too tight, or as is mostly the case, too large is obvious. It makes you look insecure, or even neglected. Don’t forget the accessories.
Pair up your dress with a practical and elegant accessory that does not require you to break the bank (except you can, of course!). A clutch, bracelets, jewelry will go a long way in enhancing your look from a first glance by slipping a touch of originality. And your shoes! Oh, don’t play with your shoes. If the eyes are the mirror of the soul, the shoes are the mirror of your style. An outfit is often evaluated by going from bottom to top. So, go for the kill. Now, here is a little advice. Keep in mind that there is only one rule for dressing to impress. You can wear little and honestly inexpensive, but please, wear beautiful.
3. Work on Your Body Language
For the same build, two people will occupy the space in different ways. This all depends on the language they let their body speak. Now, note this. Before you even open your mouth, your non-verbal communication betrays you. And even when talking, your body continues to speak beyond words. There are telltale signs that show your interlocutor that you are very unsure of yourself and that is not great first impression material. Some of the things you need to work on are;
- Your Smile
The goal of your smile is to quickly establish a form of complicity. The smile makes it possible to lower the barriers and open the doors of communication. Also, smiling makes you more beautiful. A smile warms the face, opens it, illuminates it, and in the process erases a lot of imperfections (small pimples, dark circles, etc). PS: do not let your insecurity with your teeth be the reason why you don’t smile. If you are that uncomfortable with it, a trip to the dentist will get it fixed. But until then, smile.
- Your Eyes
A shifty gaze puts you directly into the category of soft, shy, and other weak spirits. Learn to LOOK PEOPLE IN THE EYE. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that looking a person in the eye is a form of mistrust. On the contrary, it is proof of courtesy. If you have trouble keeping the other person’s gaze, fix it between the eyes. It’s easier and it adds depth to your look.
- Your Posture
Whether you are standing or sitting, ensure your posture suggests that you are open and paying attention to the conversation. Do not slouch. Be careful not to close yourself up by crossing your arms or legs tightly, hunching over your seat, balling your hands into a fist, and so on.
- Your Walk
Age, social status, temperament, emotional state, and much more information can be deduced about your person by the way you walk. A confident walk does not have to take too much from you. To exude quiet strength, stand up straight, watch where you are going, and let your arms accompany your movement. If this poses a problem for you, consider working on your flexibility and your balance and you will see that it helps.
4. Eliminate All Signs of Nervousness
Just as animals sense fear, people sense your discomfort – which in turn increases their discomfort. Too much agitation reflects a lack of self-control (you move too much, make too many gestures, use too much energy, etc). To appear calm and relaxed, be sure to keep your arms close to your body (or slip a hand in your pocket), avoid playing nervously with your hands, but above all (especially) remember to breathe to oxygenate your mind and empty your mind of all negative emotions (stress, anxiety, embarrassment, etc).
If all fails, try to imagine your interlocutor doing something stupid. Weird, but it works. It will help you feel more comfortable, and you might even crack a smile. Just make sure you do not dwell on the thought.
5. Have a Firm Handshake
If you’re looking to make a terrible first impression, you can offer the person a limp noodle disguised as a handshake. The main purpose of a handshake is to establish peaceful contact and deliver your best bodily message. It is a more or less conscious commitment corresponding to your desire (or lack of desire when it’s bad) to communicate.
To avoid displaying zero energy from the start, move (slightly) closer to the other person, tilt (slightly) your palm downwards and exert (light) pressure on their hand. In the same vein, do not hesitate to be the one who takes the initiative for physical contact, at the beginning of the interaction as well as at the end. To be fair, people are more tolerant of women in this respect. But if you can give a firm handshake, then, by all means, do that!
6. Put Your Phone Away
It has become hard, and even near impossible, to make things happen without one technological device or the other. Regardless of this fact, it is important that for that moment, your phone goes to rest. Except you are in a professional meeting that requires you to make presentations with your devices, your phone MUST remain in your pocket. Plus, it is simple courtesy.
7. Pay Attention to the Conversation
During a conversation, the goal is not to monologue but to build a bridge with your interlocutor in order to create a real relationship. It is this bond that will contribute to your being remembered (for good). Make it a habit to really pay attention to the conversation even if it does not interest you in the slightest. Learn to listen when the other party speaks, it communicates respect and self-control.
Employ some of the rules of maintaining eloquent silence by playing fully on non-verbal signs of validation (involved gaze, nodding of the head, the orientation of the shoulder line, etc.) and by prohibiting certain gestures and attitudes (hand in front of the mouth, unsolicited advice, do not wait for the end of the sentences…).
8. Maintain the Right Mindset
Whether it is a job interview, a date, or just a social evening, what kind of energy do you want to release? Do you want to communicate that you’re open to love relationships on that date? Before a networking event, determine in advance what kind of person you want to meet, and what kind of interactions you want to have. By doing this, you have set yourself up for great success as you maintain the mindset throughout the event. Do not digress into a sober and reflective mood in a networking event where you are supposed to be hyper-social and make new friends.
9. Modulate the Pitch and Tone of Your Voice
How you express yourself matters just as much, if not more than what you say. Too often underestimated, the voice can be considered as a second face as it reveals our emotions.
Its musicality completely changes a spoken sentence. A loosely articulated “hello” will sound dull and insignificant, while a warm, smiling “hello” is a wonderful start to a conversation. Also, avoid filler words like, ‘um,’ ah,’ ‘er,’ ‘like,’ etc. Such expressions reveal your hesitation. Never speak in a monotonous tone. You could change the flow, vary the volume, or even take breaks.
10. Create the Conversation
Consider it your responsibility to create a conversation. Take the initiative to say hello first, make the introductions, break the ice, bring up topics for discussion or fill in the blanks. This behavior naturally tends to consolidate close ties. Your interlocutors will then see you as someone endowed with a strong sense of leadership.
11. Be Unapologetically Yourself
This article is not designed to change you into a totally different person because you are trying to make a good first impression. Sacrificing your authenticity under the pretext of making a good impression is always a bad compromise. While we advise that you be more suited to the occasion, we ask that you don’t lose your personality. It is very easy to recognize when a person is trying too hard to make a good first impression by overdoing it and pretending to be someone they are not. That is a big turn off and might just work against you.
A great first impression will open a lot of doors for you but the question is, will you be strong enough to stay in the room? As Sonya Parker rightly said, ‘Almost everyone will make a good first impression, but only a few will make a good lasting impression.’ Work on building yourself to be even better than your first impression. Good luck with that!
All pictures are from Pexels and no attribution is required.
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