How To Make A Great First Impression!

 ★ Be On Time (Or A Bit Early For Bonus Points)

Someone who has taken the time out of their day to meet with you will not be best pleased if you turn up 45 minutes late because you missed your bus and had to walk instead. No excuse will fit the bill, unless for a genuine emergency of course. If you plan on being late, let them know first - that may save half of the embarrassment at least, though I can't say it will help your first impression. Being early is an effective way of gaining their good side, you're interested, punctual and clearly care to impress them. Be wary of being too early however, this can swing the opposite way - you may look desperate or like their appointment was an inconvenience to you, you don't want to be a burden!

First Impression Pressure

★ Introduce Yourself Well

This is something that is often over-looked as first impressions are much more than the "Hello" stage, but is equally as important. A confident handshake, winning smile and polite introduction is what experts say is the most effective way of winning someone over within the first few seconds of meeting them, with little effort needed, so make sure you perfect this for a sure-fire way to success! Body language is more obvious to others than you think, nervous feet tapping, dis-interested slouching and a shy lack of eye contact are all key signs to avoid where possible, don't let them in to your weaknesses too soon.

★ Be Yourself!

No matter how confident you may be, being yourself is an effective way of giving off a great first impression. We've all had a time in our life when meeting someone for the first time that we just didn't believe their personality, at all. Either they were too nice or too quiet or something else that was rather suspicious, people like that rarely impress others and I doubt anyone would ever have a good impression of someone who would lie about their true self. Don't let the other person think you have something to hide, you are supposed to be unique and there is no shame in that.

★ Smile Like Everyone Is Watching!

What makes a person more attractive than anything else? Both scientists, psychologists and dentists agree... It's your smile! Without realising, the thing we look towards first in a person is their smile, you would not want to speak to a sullen-faced person over someone with a gleaming smile, would you? The beautiful thing about smiling is that if one person smiles, even from a distance, the other person will smile back at you. It's a bizarre human habit that we are taught to reciprocate all of our lives, much like waving to someone automatically when they wave to us. Don't fear smiling at them, unless you have reason to be on their bad side, you can take relief knowing that you will also receive a hearty smile back!

★ Be Honest and Confident, But Not Too Much...

We can all agree that impressions are best served truthfully and confidently. Nobody wants a shy guy who lied about robbing their last employer taking their job vacancy, but where do we draw the line? Be honest, but not too honest, be confident but not too confident. Tell them that you're nervous, but don't say that you went to the bathroom multiple times this morning because of it. Being confident is also fine, but showing no natural nervousness at all isn't a good look, you need to be on the same level as the person you are meeting, not above them, you are more likely to connect positively this way.

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★ Get To Know Who You're Dealing With

How could you possibly show an interest in someone if you know nothing about them? Asking questions about themselves isn't a bad thing at all, but do you know what's more impressive? Knowing you've done your research or have taken the time out to get to know them without them even getting involved. They say you have on average just 30 seconds to impress someone, so use this time wisely by putting everything you know to the table. Whether it's a date or an interview, it pays to throw out your knowledge - just don't be the creepy Tinder user who knows a little too much...

★ Positivity Is Everything!

It's not hard to tell what someone's outlook on life is. If you discuss the weather, a realist, start off with a story of how your mum's cat died, a pessimist - you get the idea. Being positive isn't at all hard if you know what you're doing. Even if you are a pessimist, there are times that positivity is needed and a first impression is one of them! Compliment them, thank them for agreeing to see you, maybe even tell them how excited you are to be here, whatever it is you think is necessary, there's absolutely no way this technique can ever falter, positivity is infectious after all - you get what you give!

★ Be Polite and Listen Well

The most obvious and most important technique is just that, be polite and listen well - two things that should come naturally to most people, but you would be surprised how often it can slip through the net. To be a success it is absolutely paramount you are polite and listen well to what you are being told. Nobody wants to spend time with someone who is plain rude and doesn't listen at all, don't be that person. As mentioned previously, a simple smile is a good start, that's politeness ticked off, as for listening well, eye contact should do the trick! Even if you don't find what the person is saying particularly interesting, they may quiz you on it later on, so try your best to listen, you don't want to be caught out!

Here are some useful videos you can use to help!

★ 5 Tips To Make A Great First Impression - TopThink

★ How To Make A Great First Impression - MindToolsVideos

★ How To Make A Great First Impression - #BelieveLife - Evan Carmichael

★ How To Make A Great First Impression - Brendon.com

So, there was a selection of techniques you can use to make a great first impression in any scenario. The key to success here is to make yourself stand out from the others, and by using these quick tips, you can guarantee your success!