7 Ways To Make a Great First Impression

When thinking of how to make a good first impression always remember the words of Maya Angelou – “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

First Impressions matter: If you forget every other thing, please don’t forget this:

The way you look directly affects the way you think, the way you feel, the way you speak, the way you act or behave and then the way others react or respond to you. Therefore, always Be Confident, Be Fearless and Be Classy!

Making a great first impression is extremely important. This is because most people will judge you within the first 7 seconds of meeting you and would form an opinion about you instantly based on your appearance, demeanor, body language and most importantly how you are dressed.

It’s important to know that First Impressions are very hard to change, hence you’ve got only one shot at making a great first impression.

Let’s take this example – you are a first class graduate with an MBA from Harvard Business School. You sit for an aptitude test for a Bank job and pass exceptionally well. Then you are invited for an interview some weeks later and on the day of the interview, you walk in dressed in shredded jeans, a polo t-shirt, and a slip-on.

Now pause for a moment….and think…

What do you think would be the impression of the interviewers the moment they see you walk in for that Bank Job interview?

Your guess is as good as mine, they are not going to take you seriously even if you had scored 100/100 in the aptitude test. Before they even open your file to look at your impressive resume, they would have walked you out for being shabbily dressed.

They would have formed a lot of opinion about you before even giving you the chance to prove yourself.

Is it fair that people make such assumptions in such a short amount of time without getting to know the person first? No, it’s not, but the truth is that YOU and I can’t help it, we’ve been wired that way right from birth.

7 WAYS TO MAKE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION

1. DRESS FOR SUCCESS, LOOK THE PART AND ALWAYS BE MINDFUL OF HOW YOU APPEAR TO OTHERS

When you realize that 55% of first impressions are based on overall appearance, you just have to look good at all times. A good style lets you say great things about yourself before you even open your mouth. Dress well and always wear something that makes you feel awesome.

2. NEVER FORGET YOUR MANNERS, BE A GENTLEMAN

Good manners always leave a great first impression. Use words and phrases such as “Thank You”, “Please”, “Please, after you”, “Please, you go first”, “And how about you?”, “But if you’ll excuse me, I need to…”. Also, give compliments that encourage conversation.

3. BE POSITIVE ALWAYS, REMOVE NEGATIVITY FROM YOUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS

7% of first impressions are based on what we say and how we say it. Therefore, watch what you say, speak less and listen more. Your positive outlook on life will make a great first impression.

4. BE EDUCATED, READ MORE and BE A GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST

As the saying goes, “readers are leaders.” In order to be a good conversationalist, you have to be well-read because a good conversationalist is well-read, well-versed and well-rounded. When you are well-read, it is easily noticeable and will always leave a great first impression on anyone you meet.

5. LISTEN ATTENTIVELY

Listening attentively when you are having a conversation with someone or when someone is talking to you is a sure way of making a great first impression. When you’re talking to someone, give them your full attention.

6. BE CONFIDENT, BE FEARLESS

Lack of confidence translates to weakness and its a sure way of ruining an opportunity to make a great impression. No wonder the 50th Law of Power by Robert Green featuring 50 Cent focuses on being Fearless.

7. WATCH YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

38% of first impressions are based on body language. This means Body language is a crucial part of first impressions. Everything from your posture to how you carry yourself to the way you walk, talk and act.

8. Bonus- EMULATE HARVEY SPECTER IN THE AMERICAN LEGAL DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES “SUITS”.

Don’t have so much to say about this, just click and watch this clip below – If you haven’t seen the series yet, please go watch it, you would understand better when you do. Capisce? Si tu capisco.

FINAL WORDS

Having understood that people judge you by the image you project through your actions, words, and style, then it’s important to give each new encounter your best shot.

Please feel free to drop your comments and contributions on the comment section below and share the story as well. Your feedback helps us improve and serve you better.

If you will like to reach out, send me an email info@kobikoachman.com. You can find us on Youtube | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest. Feel free to join/follow us on any of the channels you frequently use as we continuously inspire you on how to dress well and live well.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for reading till the end. Until next time, continue to do well, live well, and dress really well. Stay Classy, always!

READ NEXT: 8 Easy Ways To Improve Your Image & Style

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Mr. Kobi

My name is Kobi O. Mbagwu, a professional image consultant, menswear style expert, and entrepreneur who uses fashion, style and clothing as key tools in transforming ordinary men into extraordinary classy gentlemen. My personal goal is to help gentlemen dress better, live well, do well and develop a unique personal style that matches their lifestyle and goals. I believe that success can be built through style. I believe that fashion is a tool that can be used to change people’s lives positively. I also strongly believe that if you dress well, you look good, and if you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you worry less, and the less you worry the more you are able to stay motivated and focused on your goals pursuit and by so doing you are able to live a more fulfilling and successful life.

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