How To Make A Great First Impression

The phrase, “first impression is the last impression”, has struck a note in the minds of all people alike, which is why most of us long to make a great first impact on people. Be it a business meeting, the first date or the first day at work, the first impression would go a long way in establishing and imprinting your position in the mind of the person you are meeting. As such, it is very necessary that you create a great impact, so that the person has positive feelings or thoughts of you. Great styling, impressive conduct, oozing confidence and a winning smile are some of the determining factors for making a striking first impression. If you want to arm yourself with all the tips on how to make a great first impression, keep reading the article.

Imagine meeting a person for the first time and opening your introduction with a sorry or an excuse for being late? What a loser you would look like! Being on time is the first step towards making a great first impression. Plan your day in such a way that you reach the assigned location, at least 5 to 10 minutes prior to the preset time.

Most of the people go way beyond their individuality to create a good first impression. Result - confusion and nervousness!! To avoid such a scenario, the deal is to be yourself. If you are projecting your own personality to the person you are meeting, you would be utmost confident and completely at ease. And if you are calm and confident, the other person would automatically feel relaxed. Remember, even he/she is meeting you for the first time, so apprehensions and nervousness would be common between the two of you. 

Believe it or not, the first look can go a long way in making an impressive first impression. Here, grooming and styling should be the mantra for you. Dress appropriately before stepping out of the house. Make sure your hair-do serves as an add-on to your look. For men, going clean shaven is a must. Make sure that the attire you are wearing gives a boost to your personality, making you look all the more stunning and stylish. Remember, untidy clothes and messy hair-do is enough to make you look under confident and sheepish!  

While looks would create the 50% of the first impression, the rest depends on how impressive is your introduction. Since you are meeting a person for the first time, chances are that the two of you barely know each other. In such a case, it would be best if you start off with a bang. Smartly introduce yourself and fill in the other person with all the necessary details that he/she should know about. However, do not lengthen it. An impressive introduction is one that is short and crisp, with all the details.

George Eliot rightly said “Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles”. Nothing can be more depressing than to meet a person who is dressed up without a smile. Remember, a warm smile can shed off all the initial apprehensions and make both of you at ease. So, the trick is to smile and win the heart and mind of the other person. However, do not go overboard and laugh with your mouth open. (I’m sure the other person does not want to know how many teeth you have or how big your tonsils are!!)

Did you know that your body language contributes more than 90% of your communication? Thus, it is very necessary to project appropriate body language. Small things like eye contact, standing tall with the head held high, a winning smile and a firm handshake would talk a lot about your personality and the person you are. Remember, if you want to create an impressive impression, keep the nervousness locked in your cupboard.

Do we need to elucidate on this point? Needless to say, men and chivalry should go hand in hand. Good manners and courteous behavior lay the foundation for any relationship, creating the best first impression. A rule of the thumb - switch off your mobile while you are with the person. Remember, you are here to create a good impression on the person you are meeting and not on the person whom you are talking to!!