First impressions are critical since you only get one shot to make someone pay attention to what you’re telling them. The first impression shouldn’t only be magnificent; it should also be a lasting impression. It’s all up to you whether you want to appear as confident or meek. We can’t all help but judge a book by its cover. Humans make judgments so fast in approximately 100 milliseconds, but it’s so hard to change them. The first impression you make is very sticky, fast, and firm. Knowing all that, you must be wondering how you can make a great first impression, maybe when you’re going to meet a new business contact or whatever the situation will be. The good thing is there are several tips for anyone who’s working towards improving their first impression. Here are five tips to help you give a killer first impression.
1. Attend To Your Appearance
Your appearance matters a lot, and that’s why it’s the first thing you should work on. Try not to look overdone. You should appear polished and professional. Even if you don’t like it, looks play a big part in how people see you. Your appearance may make or break your first meeting with new contacts. There are a few things about our appearance that can say a lot about us even before we speak. They include a lot of tattoos, a completely shaved head, and piercings as well. Based on psychology, those issues can affect us in one way or the other. For women who have tattoos, they tend to make them look promiscuous. Facial piercings may make you look less smart, and a shaved head for a man shows dominance. If you have any of the above issues, work on them.
2. Set A Goal
Setting an intention is essential before attending an event. Sit and down think about the image you’re trying to portray and who you’ll be meeting. This is the most important thing to do to give a good impression. This will help you reduce the chances of messing up since you’ll already be aware of who you’ll be going to face and what you’ll do. It will help you focus on the type of energy you’ll need for the particular event you’ll be going to. If you feel like it’s too hard to do it alone, get the help of an online sales training expert to train you to achieve the perfect presentation.
3. Talk less
If you want the person/people you’re meeting to trust you, then you should avoid talking a lot. It would help if you gave them a chance to speak first. Try as hard as you can not chitter-chatter about yourself. The best way you can gain people’s confidence is always to say less and let whoever you’re trying to make an impression on a talk first. When you let them have the floor first, then you establish trust. People always think that everything is about negotiation in business, and having the floor first will put you in control. To make others feel warmth towards you, you should make them feel understood. You can also collect other people’s information through them sharing it with you, and you’ll be able to establish trust.
4. Don’t Cut Down On Eye Contact
Eye contact not only makes you smarter, but it’s also a sign of sincerity. When you make more eye contact, then you’ll be thought of as intelligent. However, even though it’s a good thing, you shouldn’t overdo it. It would be best if you had a balance between maintaining eye contact and not doing it much. When you do it too much, whoever you’re trying to impress will think you’re a psychopath. Therefore maintain eye contact but don’t go too far with it.
5. Don’t Hide Your Flaws
A lot of people assume that with first impressions, they should be as perfect as possible. However, according to experts, it can be both empowering and endearing when you reveal your flaws and weaknesses. You might be scheduled to meet people whom you find intimidating, and then you do everything possible to impress them. Nonetheless, when you’re raw, honest, and vulnerable, it will pay off. Let your guard down, and the people you’re trying to impress might do it too, and you’ll end up having a great conversation.
