Useful tips
To make a good first impression, you need the right approach
– remember, you will only have one try.
Failure means that your level of trust will drop significantly. Moreover, the interlocutor may be disappointed in you, which means it will be difficult to hope for his help.
When you have a chance, you shouldn't miss it.
But making a first impression is not the easiest thing. In the end, all people are different and everyone looks for different qualities in their interlocutors.
Besides, many people are nervous
when meeting someone new for the first time, especially if it is a person who can influence your destiny or a serious situation in your life.
How to make a first impression
In this article we have collected a number of convincing and effective tips
, which will help you make a positive first impression on people.
Greeted by clothes
In fact, the first thing people notice is your appearance.
Unless, of course, you have previously communicated with the person by phone, video or email.
You've all heard the expression "don't judge a book by its cover."
You should know that in the world of first impressions, this expression is mostly ignored.
Untidy and uncouth
will immediately lower your standard in the eyes of your interlocutor - this is the harsh reality, and this is the natural reaction of many people.
You can be an amazing, educated person
, but looking at you from the outside, people may not see this. So make sure you dress well and look confident.
Persuasive body language
So the first thing people notice
is the way you look, but the second is definitely your body language. The way you enter a room, or the way you sit during a conversation, has a big impact on the other person's opinion of you.
For example, if you play with your hair or hands
sitting on a chair, then most likely you are not a very attentive person.
Slowly enter the room
, pushing your shoulders back, holding your head high and placing your arms at your sides. This way you will look more noticeable!
Sit and walk
confidently
, but not like a narcissistic peacock.
Eye contact
Today many people know
that eye contact is important for a good first impression, but some people still find it difficult to maintain, or simply don't want to.
If you walk into the room
, and someone will start a conversation with you, and you will look at the floor or somewhere else, but not into the person’s eyes, this may discourage them from communicating with you.
If you don't look at the other person
, it will give the impression that you are either not listening, or are not interested, or you are simply not the kind of person you want to share thoughts with.
Be enthusiastic
Enthusiastic people attract attention
(for the most part), they stand out among the crowd. By showing enthusiasm, you show that you are interested in the person, and if you ask him questions, it means that you are interested in the topic of discussion, and the person will enjoy your company.
Boring tone and lack of questions
will indicate your indifference, and it will be more difficult for the interlocutor to maintain a conversation with you.
Even if the conversation moves to another topic
, which you are not interested in, still try to look interested, no matter how difficult it is.
Don't turn everything into a one-man show
If you are constantly talking to someone
, and don’t allow the person to speak normally, he will think that you are a narcissist and an egoist, or that you are simply not interested in the topic of conversation (or maybe both). Either way, you won't make a good first impression.
Normal dialogue means that the conversation moves from one thing to another without interruption.
Such communication is more exciting and useful for all participants.
If the person you just met
, asks questions about your business or your interests and you respond with short sentences or 5-minute chit-chat, your chances of continuing the conversation and being able to get much out of it are not high.
However, if you ask questions
, and the person is happy to answer them and ask questions in response, you yourself will want to get involved in the conversation.
Confidence
Alexander Todorov and Janine Willis from Princeton University found that people make judgments about the reliability of their interlocutor within 100 milliseconds.
One group was shown photographs of people they didn't know and asked to rate their attractiveness, competence, and trustworthiness. Each picture was shown for 0.1 seconds. The other group was given the same pictures, but there was no time limit. As a result, the assessments of the experiment participants who looked at the photographs for only 100 milliseconds coincided with the assessments of those who looked at the photos as much as they wanted. The correlation was especially strong when assessing the level of trust in a person.
First impression of a person
Show respect
Don't brag and don't do anything
, which could offend the interlocutor. In the business world (and beyond), many people often try to appear much better than they really are.
Although there are exceptions
- there are such people, some, with all their desire to show that they are good at their job, can, in fact, be very hardworking. But few people pay attention to their work, which means they need to be evaluated.
It's unpleasant, isn't it?
You probably also like it when you are appreciated
and perhaps they are praised for their work and some actions. Always respect the people you interact with and value their goals and achievements. This will help you in the long run.
Know your goal
When you know your goals not only in business
, but also when communicating with a person new to you, you will feel more confident when raising a new, interesting topic of conversation. In addition, you will be able to get what you need from communication.
You will be perfectly aware of every word you speak.
, and this is always important if you want to make a good first impression. Before you go into a meeting, date or interview, first ask yourself what you want to achieve.
Be confident and believe in yourself
Confidence is the key to many things in life.
It will open many more doors for you than shyness and nervousness. It makes it easier to interact with other people.
If you are unsure of yourself
, then it will be difficult for you to correctly ask a question, maintain a conversation, or express your point of view.
Show that you mean business
There is no need to brag about your knowledge and position.
It's important to show that the conversation means a lot to you and that you're not someone who gives up easily.
This means you must be on time for your meeting.
, and even better before the appointed time and be sure.
When someone asks you about your goals
, you answer with confidence so that the other person understands that you are serious and are going to achieve your goal. When you ask a question, you need to do it in such a way that the person understands that you asked it for a reason.
Not a drop of fear
Meeting new people
can be frightening, especially if they can seriously affect your future and your life.
But in the end there is no such thing as fear.
It's just a product of your imagination.
If you can take fear out of the equation
, then you will be more free to act without unnecessary thoughts and stress.
The influence of aromas
A person smells another person, perfume, the aroma of skin. The impression can be created based on smells and evoke associations. If they are pleasant, then the person will like you at the first meeting. This happens unconsciously. People who have a similar skin odor are more likely to hit it off when they first meet.
The first impression can be deceptive; subsequent communication may reveal that the person is rude, arrogant, and it is difficult to continue communicating with him. The first impression is created due to the qualities that the stranger is ready to show to others.
Forming a first impression
Be more considerate of others
People love to talk about themselves and if you can focus on that...
what they say, you will come across as someone who is interested in their opinions and the information they share. This in turn helps you make a good first impression and build trust.
If you're only focused on yourself
, people will get bored with you. However, if you first focus your attention on the person you are communicating with, they will later be more attentive to what you say.
Work on your communication skills
Ability to speak well and select topics
for communication will save you from unnecessary conversations and ensure that the words you say will have the effect you want.
This point is one of the most important in order to make a first impression when meeting a new person.
Prepare information in advance about what you are going to say first.
Within the first minute of meeting you, you will have the opportunity to explain who you are.
If you're serious about making a good impression, you'll need to introduce yourself properly.
Without preparation, your first words when meeting,
Most likely, they will be the same as always, as you are used to. That's why you need to come up with something new, short, quick, interesting and unique.
Learn to give compliments
People love compliments.
If you learn how to give compliments that are non-sarcastic and non-cliché, you can make a great first impression.
Give compliments to your interlocutor
for his work, goals, clothing and appearance. The right compliment will depend on the situation and the intended relationship between you and your interlocutor.
Read more
Reading improves your vocabulary
, your knowledge, and also makes it easier to find topics for conversation.
Don't try to seem smarter, become smarter.
The concept of "thin sections"
At the end of the twentieth century, the concept of “thin sections” was introduced. It confirms that attitudes towards people are often formed in the first seconds and leave an imprint on further communication.
For the experiment, they showed videos without sound that lasted for 10 seconds and asked them to make an impression about the person. For the purity of the experiment, the subjects were offered a scale of qualities.
These videos were then shown to other participants in the experiment for gradation on the same scale, but the duration of the video was only 5 seconds.
The third group of subjects watched the videos for two seconds.
The results surprised everyone; the first impression coincided in many respects. Where it was concluded that two seconds are enough to form an opinion about a person. The rest of the time does not affect the first impression of a stranger.
Sexual orientation
Nalini Ambady and Nicholas Rule conducted a study and found that a man's sexual orientation can be determined in 50 milliseconds.
Volunteers were shown photographs of men (hetero and homo) from dating sites in random order for different time intervals. With 50 milliseconds of visual contact with a photo, the accuracy of sexual orientation judgments was 62%.
Approximately the same results were obtained in a study of the likelihood of identifying women's sexual identity based on their faces (Rule, Ambady, & Hallett, 2009). Moreover, this required even less time - 0.04 seconds.
Lean towards the interlocutor (Forward Lean)
During a conversation, lean towards the interlocutor or move closer to him. This will express sympathy and attention to the words of the interlocutor. (In English, the word list, which is similar to the verb listen, means “to lean in.”) With this gesture, you show that you want to better understand the point of view and feelings of the interlocutor. To end a conversation, simply take a step back or move away from the other person. If a tall person does not bend over and lower his head to make it easier to communicate, the interlocutor feels alienated and even a kind of contempt.
If you are that tall person, you may not notice it until someone tells you. Remember to lean towards people when talking.
Punctuality
Back in the seventeenth century, Louis XIV said: “ Accuracy is the courtesy of kings and the duty of all good people!” “In fact, this statement formed the basis for the rapid development of etiquette in Europe.
To this day, time is considered the most valuable resource. Therefore, you should plan your day and upcoming routes in advance in order to get everything done on time.
Success
A team of British-Turkish researchers found that people wearing tailored suits appear to be more successful in their careers.
Researchers also came to this conclusion during experiments with photographs. Volunteers only had 5 seconds to make a conclusion.
If you want to improve your image and look more successful in the eyes of others, wear clothes that are custom-made by a good tailor.
The study also says that women wearing sexy skirts and low-cut blouses are perceived as lower status workers than women who adhere to a strict dress code. Scientists attribute this to the fact that a closed body is a sign of power. From time immemorial, representatives of security forces wore closed robes.
Potential
In 2011, Canadian researchers came to the following conclusion: in the eyes of others, men who prefer a classic business suit achieve fame, money and success faster than adherents of a casual style.
Participants in the experiment were shown photographs of models. Some of them were in elegant suits, while others were in simple everyday clothes. Volunteers were asked to predict who the people in the photo would work as and what fate awaited them. As a result, men in jeans and sweaters were assigned lower wages and positions, even if they sat in leather chairs in posh offices. On the contrary, people in formal suits were judged as “kings of life”: they will have a lot of money, they will quickly achieve success.
Leadership
Albert E. Mannes from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania found that bald men are considered dominant and are perceived as leaders who can successfully lead a team.
The scientist conducted a series of experiments. During one of them, he showed photographs of men with and without hair. The people in the photo were the same age and wearing the same clothes. Volunteers had to look at the pictures and say which of the men was stronger morally and physically. The palm went to the bald ones.
Effects of perception
There are such unique features that form the first opinion as:
- Boomerang - we strive to resist the pressure of another if we feel it. It is because of this that disputes often arise that spoil the entire image of the interlocutor.
- The primacy effect concerns new information about an acquaintance; we strive to find out the latest news, even if it radically diverges from the general opinion.
- Stereotyping arises if, even before we met, we heard about a person from his other acquaintances.
There are other features, such as projection or labeling. They must be dealt with in any case.
Promiscuity
British scientists have found that women with tattoos on prominent parts of the body are perceived as more promiscuous (who sometimes like to drink heavily and are promiscuous).
Study authors Viren Swami and Adrian Furham showed participants photographs of women in swimsuits. Some of them had tattoos on their stomachs, others - on their arms, others had both here and there, and others did not have them. Volunteers were asked to rate women on three parameters:
- moral stability;
- alcohol consumption;
- physical attractiveness.
The more tattooed a woman was, the less attractive and chaste she was considered. “A girl with a tattoo in the public eye is a tomboy who loves alcohol, cool cars and the attention of men,” the scientists concluded.
