How to make a good first impression
First impressions are everything when it comes to meeting people for business and social purposes.
As a general rule, most people make up their main opinion of you within the first seven seconds of meeting. This does not give you much time to show off your wonderful personality, which means that you’ve got to work hard to make it clear just how amazing you are.
Making a good first impression is as easy as following these strategies that are often used by celebrities and business professionals.
Don’t start working on it the night before
Have you ever pulled an all-nighter and barely recognized yourself in the morning? Those puffy eyes and bad hair are actually quite noticeable to others. You’ll also feel frazzled after a night of poor sleep, and this makes it harder to think on the spot.
When you know that you have a big meeting in the morning, make sure to get enough sleep the night before. It’s honestly the easiest and most effective thing that you can do to make a good first impression.
Use relaxed and friendly body language
You should already know to smile with your perfect teeth with the Dentist in Yuma when you meet someone new. However, it is easy to forget when you are nervous. Try to use the other person’s smile as a cue to send one back in return.
Then, keep the rest of your body language relaxed. You don’t want to look lazy by slouching but relaxing your shoulders and letting the tension leave your neck makes you look much friendlier and calm.
Perfect your handshake
People aren’t naturally born knowing how to shake hands, and a lot can be said with a basic hand grip. Practice shaking hands with someone that you trust to tell you if you are doing it too hard or too soft.
You should also aim to only shake for a pump of your hands or two. Holding on too long can also lead to an awkward first impression. When in doubt, go with the other person’s lead.
While you should always be one to extend your hand first, you can gauge their body language to know whether or not to use a firmer or gentler touch.
Practice saying names during introductions
Everyone loves hearing their name, and you can easily work the new person’s name into your conversation by saying something along the lines of, “It’s so nice to meet you, Jim.”
Saying the person’s name also helps to reinforce it in your mind so that you are less likely to blank out when you have that second interaction.
Make comfortable amounts of eye contact
Eye contact can sometimes feel uncomfortable if you fall on the shy side. Try looking at the space just between the person’s eyes where the bridge of their nose meets, and you will be easily faking this move.
You should also be careful to shift your gaze from their eye level to other places in the room occasionally so that you don’t look like you are staring. Glancing down at a document or another object nearby is a great way to accomplish this with a subtle flair.
Once you’ve worked through all of these strategies, you can feel confident that you are doing a great job making a first impression. Now, all that you have to do is find a way to leave them smiling and wanting more.
Try making a joke upon your exit or extend an offer to talk again. The other person will be impressed by your confidence and form their final positive opinion.
Photo by CoWomen
