Three Secrets to Making a Great First Impression

All of us have heard this caveat: “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”  It takes just a quick glance, a few seconds, for someone to evaluate you and form an opinion. Right or wrong, with each new encounter, you are evaluated and another opinion of you is formed. An impression that is virtually impossible to change making it ever so important to always have your best self on display. The course and the quality of your social and professional relationships depend on it.

You may be wondering how do you do it; how do you ensure that you are putting your best foot forward at all times? When meeting new people a couple of things are obvious like, be on time and dress appropriately.  So I won’t spend a lot of time on these topics.  However; I don’t want to give the impression that they are not extremely important.  Being on time is the first and the simplest way to leave a good lasting impression. It says that you are thoughtful, you value others and their time, and you took the initiative to plan for the unexpected. And of course, physical appearance matters.  It is the first picture or clue to who you are.  So without saying a word you have spoken a thousand words! A good rule of thumb is to always be neat and clean and dress for the occasion and when in doubt, dress up instead of down. Appropriate dressing and grooming help you feel “the part” thus helping you feel more calm and confident.

This brings me to what I believe are the three greatest secrets to making a positive first impression when meeting new people.

1.     Make a game plan! This is particularly important before attending any big event like conferences, networking events, or parties. A canned elevator speech is a must for your social life and your professional life. In thirty seconds or less, you should be able to tell someone who you are, what you do and why you do it, and how it benefits them.  Your elevator speech in a nut shell sums up who you are and what you are about. You will alleviate a lot of awkward moments if you know your elevator speech as well as you know your name.  Whether attending a special event or about your daily routine, before leaving home think about your objective. What do you want to accomplish? What kind of people do you want to meet? What type of interactions do you want to have?  Knowing these things ahead of time will help you be more grounded, focused, and relaxed.

2.    Be confident! If you adhere to the first secret, this one will be a piece of cake. Being prepared is half the battle. And being prepared keeps you from feeling uncomfortable or on edge which helps the other person feel at ease, thus further sealing the good impression you want to make. When it comes to confidence, your body language says it all. It is a crucial part of making a great first impression. Everything from your posture to how you carry yourself to how you angle your body counts. Use your body language to project appropriate confidence and self-assurance. Stand tall, smile, make eye contact, and greet with a firm handshake.

3.    Be interested and interesting! Perhaps the greatest way to make a positive first impression is to demonstrate immediately that you are more interested in listening than being heard. Be genuine in your interest and concentrate on getting the other person to talk about himself. If possible, find a connection.  Be sure to give positive verbal and nonverbal clues. For instance, you may make eye contact with a slight smile and using their name, say something like “that’s interesting, tell me more.” And afterwards follow up with a great question or comment or perhaps share something interesting of your own.

Again, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So make it count! It takes only 30 seconds for a person to form an opinion of you. Those brief moments define how you treat others or how you are treated by others. With so much at stake in such a short period of time, you owe it to yourself to master these three secrets to making a great first impression.  When you do, you will find yourself with an abundance of opportunities for jobs, friendships, networking and sales.  Not only will you make a positive and lasting impression, but you will have fun while doing it.  And your first time acquaintances will be eager to see you again.