Top 10 Ways to Make a Good First Impression

They say that your first impression is the last impression you create. What they mean is that how you approach a person can have a lasting effect on their opinion about you.

We all need somebody for something. Sometimes it is for work, or simply to make a friend. How you approach a person depends on the impression you make in their minds. What you say and how you behave can help you form meaningful relationships.

1) Be well-dressed

The first thing people tend to notice is clothes. While it isn’t necessary to wear branded clothes to create a good impression, make sure your clothes are clean, free from creases, and neat. The next thing people notice will be your shoes so make sure they aren’t torn or dirty.
Your hair, nails, and everything else comes next so make sure you present a good, clean version of yourself when meeting people for the first time.

2) Check your body language

Your body language speaks volumes about you so ensure you follow basic etiquettes like sitting up straight when someone is speaking to you rather than collapsing on a chair. Also make sure you don’t start to fidget if the conversation seems dull to you. Regardless of the conversation topic, your body language can show interest or disinterest.

3) Check your facial expressions

A conversation may not be to your liking or interest. The person speaking may not be someone you like. But you are here to make a good first impression and so you will constantly need to make sure your face doesn’t show boredom or disgust. A smile always helps in making things easier for you as people will find your approachable.

4) Choose your words

Your choice of words can give you the upperhand in any conversation. Using the proper words and steering away from using condescending words can help you make an impact on the people you meet. Before speaking, run the words through your mind and nitpick to make sure you aren’t going to offend anyone.

5) Avoid controversial topics

You may want to stay far away from political or religious topics. No matter how brave you think your stance will be, your statements will be taken as controversial and make people want to avoid you.

The whole “speaking your mind” in the first instance only works in the movies.

6) Refrain from voicing negative opinions

A person may be narrating an incident that has affected them positively or negatively. They just want to talk about something important to them and so the last thing you need to do is tell them they were such a dummy for choosing the methods they chose to solve an easy problem.

Whether or not you agree with a person, voicing opinions can happen when you know the person on a personal level and know with absolute certainty that things going wrong with the person isn’t going to have a negative impact on you.

While meeting someone for the first time, you want to show you respect them and understand that everyone makes mistakes and every one has their own distinctive point of view.

7) Be a good listener

Everyone has a story they want to share and it pleases them to know that someone is paying attention to them and is eager to know what is going on in their lives. Showing interest can have a positive impact on your relationship with that person.

8) Make eye contact

Making eye contact with the person you are speaking to shows you are confident and that you are interested in having a conversation with them. If you keep looking away or easily distracted, you are actually showing that you do not care about what the other person has to say nor are you interested in talking to them.

9) Always be on time

It helps to always be punctual at whichever event you are attending. It shows that you understand the value of time and respect your hosts by arriving on time for the event.

10) Be Genuine

Often you will find it easier to play a role to make a good first impression. Rather than pretending to be someone else and finding it difficult to maintain that false persona, be genuine in your approach.

Most of the times, people can usually tell when another person is flattering them or being disingenuous with them. A genuine approach will show people that you are honest and sincere.