We are always told that making a good first impression is essential, no matter what you do. This doesn’t just reference how we look; it also refers to our behaviour and body language, too.
How we present ourselves to others who don’t know us is imperative to how they perceive us, and in turn how they interact and form bonds with us.
So, why exactly is it important to make an effort when meeting people for the first time? Does it really impact on your corporation as a whole?
Everything Counts
When meeting someone for the first time, we immediately make a judgement of that person within 30 seconds of being introduced. We all do it, and it is just a part of who we are as humans.
With this in mind, you can see why it is essential that you are putting effort into how you present yourself as you only have a thirty second time limit to make the person in front of you make the right judgement of you.
From the way you dress to the way you act during the first few seconds of the meeting, the other participant will form an opinion of you without you needing to say a word.
Not Just Face to Face
Although the majority of first impressions that you will make will be with people in a face to face situation, it is also important to think about how you are presenting yourself in other formats too.
From the tone of your business emails to what information you share about yourself on the web on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook, people are still going to make judgements on what kind of person you are.
In these situations, it’s even more integral that you are conscious about how you are portraying yourself. Even though in a face to face meeting you may not necessarily be able to sway their initial perception, there is always a chance to change their opinion of you as the interaction progresses (although, it is not guaranteed), in the online world, you really do have to get it absolutely right first time.
From the pictures that you use to represent, to the information and opinions that you share on the platform, you have to remember that anyone can potentially read and see what you are sharing – including those who you may be looking to work with in the future.
Keep it professional, clean, in the right tone and to the point; think of your profile as your first impression to the people that you can’t meet in person. This means choosing a professional picture – a professional head-shot works well if your place of work has these – sharing relevant, topical information from your industry and building a network of other professionals.
Make sure that you are making the best first impression possible at your business meeting or event by arriving in style using our premier chauffeur service. To find out more information, feel free to get in touch with us today and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.
