How to make a Positive First Impression

First impression lasts long. What is an impression? An impression is the image that a person generates by his behavior, words and action. The whole world believes in the images created by impression. Just think of the companies spending millions in publicity, charity and advertisement in their savvy marketing to carve out a niche in the market just to create an impression over the buyers.

The books in communication management describe a person as a bundle of emotions. Logic may not play a role in the judgment. Your demeanor is what creates the first impression.

A positive first impression is the result of most articulate body language, mature words, a keen interest for listening and sharing with others.

A positive first impression helps in the interviews. It is more needed in forging a relationship with the important people in the society. It is essential for people to keep their behavior positive while creating first impression.

What does your psyche expect while meeting an unknown newcomer? You want in the core of our heart that the he should be amicable, empathetic to share your feelings. Feelings represent emotional planes and every individual wants those to be shared in the proper way.

Keep your body language perfect. What usually does body language mean and why is it important?

Body language is;

• Eye contact
• Posture of the body
• Movement and positioning of hands
• Facial expressions
• Positions of legs while standing and sitting.

Why is it important?

There is a wrong notion that language is only the words spoken. While you speak it is equally required that other limbs of the body must cooperate. In communication, the body has to function as a whole in tandem with the words from mouth. Else while you communicate, you fail to drive your point home.

What else are important for you other than body language?

• You need an attitude to listen rather than speaking. Human attitude has one flaw. That is our “ego’ always forces us to speak because we need to impose our views on the other speakers. The result is a gap in communication; failure in the delivery of the message. The message that you send to others through your words needs time to get deciphered in silence while listening.
• The second thing that you require in your personality is patience. Enormous patience is required to judge human tendencies. God has created all in the diversities of caste, creed, color and languages. Try showing empathy towards others in order to understand them and apply patience in your every dealing .
• Third quality is an attitude for sharing. If you listen carefully then you can share views with others. Every individual in the society wants his views not to be criticized but shared. The biggest network is possible only by sharing and caring with others.

How to make a positive first impression while meeting someone?

Be selective with the dress, you wear for the occasion – Make sure what you need to wear for such occasions. Avoid wearing casual dress that is suitable for a social gathering. Usually for making an impression in appointments with important people and interviews, try to make serious discretion with your clothes. Unnecessarily gaudy dressing can spoil the impression of the people whom you meet. Experts generally suggest a sober way of dressing without gorgeousness. Avoid glossy,heavy clothes and jewelery because those will create distractions in the discussion. Experts in most cases suggest a combination of off-white shirts and black trousers for males and similar moderate dressing for females. You should look neat, presentable and smart in your clothes.

Do take permission before meeting someone – Meet the person only with his prior permission. Before entering his room, do not forget to knock on the door and enter with permission.

Give introduction within a small amount of time – In case it is an interview introduce yourself only after being asked to do so. If it is a personal meeting, then you can introduce yourself with a small opening talk. Introduction should not sound like a recital of memorized lines. It should consist of a warm wish and one to two lines of self-introduction in case of a personal meeting. If it is an interview then it can be maximum five sentences of self-introduction.

While shaking hands, keep your grip firm. Do it tenderly with the women.A too tight handshake is in a bad taste. A firm handshake is an expression of gentleness and warmth in behavior.

You can shake hands while introducing yourself or at the time of your departure from the meeting. But the formality of shaking hands must not take place after occupying seat before the person.

Sit before the person only being asked to do so – While sitting,pull the chair carefully without producing harsh sound and sit after thanking him.

Keep eye-contact -Although eye contact is a widely discussed thing in communication management, people are generally confused about it. Eye-contact is not staring directly in the eyes of the listeners. Look in the eyes of the other person while nodding and smiling at the interesting points of his words. Avoid looking unnecessarily grave and serious. That might be in a bad taste.

What to do if you are talking to a group in a room? You can not look at all faces. There eye-contact is done in either in “M” shape and “W” shape.

First start looking from extreme left side and continue in the same direction till you reach the other end and then come to the middle and go to the right and come to the end of the right side. Literally speaking try to write “M” with your eyes and then repeat looking in the reverse direction in the shape of a “W”. By this you can keep eye-contact with all present in the group.

Keeping eye-contact requires practice.

You have to do this specifically while replying to the queries from others. There are people who look absent-mindedly at the other directions while giving answers.

Keep your posture firm and steady – Avoid leaning on the table or keeping hands on it while discussing with people. Keep your body posture steady, firm and confident. There are people who fidget their bodies showing lack of confidence. If you are standing,keep space between the legs and should avoid restless movements.

While sitting, do not sit cross-legged nor resting your back in a too comfortable position.

How can you move and position your hands? -While sitting, you can rest your hands on your lap. If you are standing, move your hands in tandem with the motion of your words.Avoid poking hands and other rude gestures.

Style of speaking is also part of body language -Try speaking slowly without loudness. Keep your voice audible not loud and shrill. Tone and tempo are the two most important things in it. Keep the tone of your voice audible without sounding sharp. Try to maintain tempo of the voice without rising it unnecessarily. Usually tempo of the voice is measured in the number of words spoken in a minute. If the tempo of the words is too slow then the listener would get bored or if it is too speedy, the listener may not understand those at all. The speed can be slow to medium , matching with the understanding of the listeners.