5 Ways to Make a Killer First Impression

Most people will judge within the first second of meeting you and their opinion will most likely never change.  I think that is why a positive first visual is so important.  Here are a few ways you can make sure people’s first impression of you is a good one.

Set an Intention.  The most important thing to do for giving a good impression is to set your intention.  This is especially important before any kind of big event where you would be meeting a lot of people i.e. conferences or networking events.  Think about what kind of people you want to meet and what kind of interactio9ns you want to have.  This can be an incredibly grounding experience and works very well to focus on what kind of energy you want to have for your event.

Dress Appropriately.  Clothes, make-up, jewellery, watches and shoes are all types of ornamentation and people definitely take these into account when making initial judgments.  Make sure that what you are wearing and how you do your hair or make-up says what you want it to say to the people you are meeting for the first time.  Whether it be “relaxed mode” to “professi9onal mode” to a more “artistic mode”.

Be Conscious of Your Body Language.  Body language is a crucial part of first impressions.  Everything from your posture to how you carry yourself to the way you’re angling your body.  Subconscious cues to keep in mind include the position of your shoulders and the way you shake hands.

Be Interested and Interesting.  If you are truly interested in meeting people and are open to learning about who they are, they will get this in a first impression.  When you are meeting people for the first time approach others with a genuine interest in who they are.  This is often contagious and you will have better conversations and lasting connections when you are interested because they become interested.

Follow Up.  Even when the conversation is over, your job isn’t yet done.  To ensure your first impression sticks, it’s wise to write a personalized note of sincere appreciation.  The note ought to recap the conversation in a way that shows you’ve thought about or learned some new insight from your conversation.  If the person is on social media, convey that you want to connect.  Share a blog that he/she has written on LinkedIn.  Tweet an article that mentions the person or company.  You want to show that your conversation has an impact on you while also bringing yourself to the table.