Making a Great First Impression with Dell
Posted in Competitions on 05. Jan, 2011
It’s once again competition time and we have a fantastic prize for January’s London Bloggers Meetup provided by the good folks at Dell. What’s Dell got to do with making a great first impression I hear you ask?
Well, let me tell you.
Dell believes that for smallish businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs, making the right first impression is critical. Not only that, but the laptop you carry says as much about you as the clothes you wear.
Sure, laptops may only be a small part of what makes a good impression, but I have to agree with Dell here, the details count. I can tell you with confidence that I never carry my work laptop to meetings, because for some reason the IT department has seen fit to furnish me with what resembles a concrete slab, rather than a laptop. Oh how I long for something actually portable.
With that in mind and to promote the launch of their upcoming Facebook business community page, Dell is looking to bloggers and businesses to share as many “trade secrets” as possible about how to make that crucial first impression. The incentive, they are giving away one of their new ultraportable and surprisingly powerful laptops. Check out a review here.
If you want to be in with a chance to walk away from the next LBM with one of these laptops (valued somewhere in the £850 range), help Dell get talking about how to make a great first impression. Simply submit your “Top trade secret” in the comments below and turn up next Tuesday to see if you won!
We’ll be picking the winner ourselves and judging your submissions based on funniness and usefulness (in equal measure).
If you want a cheap/excessive room upgrade when checking into hotels in Las Vegas, you’ll struggle because the folk on Reception aren’t allowed to take cash tips.
A handy way around this is to hide a folded $20 bill between your ID and credit card when you hand them over so as not to be caught on camera. You’ll always be asked for both so this will always be an option.
By making a good first impression on the chaps on Reception, it allows you to make a good first impression on your partner when you get up to the room.
It really works as well. I did it just last month. Try it!
Top tip –
As a woman, it’s difficult to balance the first impression. Sometimes I get paranoid my hair will make me look scruffy and fail to notice my plunging neckline. That’s my top tip for women really – don’t look too sexy or you won’t be taken seriously. No matter what you believe, assert yourself and sound confident. As the daughter of a lawyer I hate this but if you don’t sound confident and sure, you’ll lose the respect of the listener.
What you wear says a lot about you. The traditional suit is a firm favourite for corporate. Be careful about dressing it down too much or going for too many flamboyant colours. You never get a second chance at making a first impression. I’m all for colourful, interesting clothes but not to a first meeting.
Never get drunk with a client the first drinks event you go to with them or if you’ve worked with them for less than 8 months. This often leads to bad impressions again and lack of contract renewal :-S
Have a laptop with you that is reliable. Having your laptop die in the middle of a presentation is a disaster as is one that simply will not work. Always bring one though as the one time you don’t is the one time you’ll need it!
Have I done this? Not all of it but I am guilty of some of it – I’ll leave that to your imagination
When meeting a new person – Before the meeting pick out somewhere really cool to meet. Everyone enjoys discovering new places. “I love the view over the Serpentine lake here” or “Yeah it’s good fun here they let you doodle over the walls”. They’ll appreciate that you’ve hooked them up with a great location in the city and an interesting venue helps them remember the meeting. After that the basics apply: arrive on time, eye contact, warm smile and firm handshake or kiss on both cheeks if feeling a little more European! Ideally don’t break straight into business talk – keep it informal because you want the person to feel relaxed.
Other pre-prep: Always check their blog/twitter to be a little clued up on what they are up to.
When blogging – Open with a story or set a scene that the reader can imagine. “This was it. It was now or never. Standing 253 meters above the ground I felt nervous. As I dropped my knees slightly and lent forward about to leap into the air I suddenly heard the instructor shout loudly..” – people can imagine themselves in the situation and they feel compelled to keep reading on to find the end of the story.
I always wear a pin badge on my lapel – usually an RSPB bird badge. It acts as a convenient ice-breaker when meeting new people and ensures that, even if I fluff my introductions, people still have a memorable and favourable first impression to remember me by.
True story:
As a young executive at Emap, I was leaving the office late one evening and came across the the CEO – Robin Miller – standing in front of a shredder with a single piece of paper in his hand.
He looked like he hadn’t seen the machine before, so – eager to make a good impression, I introduced myself and asked if I could be of any help.
“Why yes,” said the Robin, holding up the piece of paper. “This is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary has gone for the night. Can you make this thing work?”
“Certainly,” said I, happy for a chance to help the boss. Without further ado, I turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.
“Excellent, excellent!” said Robin as his paper disappeared inside the machine. “I’ll need two copies.”
As I say, a true story. And Robin and I remain friends to this day as a result of that encounter.
Why? Well, the lesson I learned that day was to be human. I did that, and it elicited a very human response from him.
Don’t get naked and don’t take photos. You never know which executive is in the room or which executive will see said photos in the future.
Now, that Ultraslim sounds like the real tool for a first impression indeed. But then how do you make it?
A first cant be repeated. So waiting for months to make a mistake can be a mistake… I mean, who really or intentionally plans to make a mistake.
So always armed well, you can win well. Set up that first meeting at one of the casual but serious locations in town. Dress in same manner… If lunch time, do away with the tie – an oh! Ladies, leave one of the handbags, especially the big one behind.
Get to the location in time; I mean at least 15mins before the start; yea, if you know how to manage your diary, you would add travelling… remember, our dearest TfL (if you’re not a London, ask Google) dont do efficiency; so travelling time matters.
Now, you’re there. Set up. As the right PC-kid, sit up your Ultraslim Dell on the table, sit back and wait.
Oh! dont be too cheap not to have connection should there be none around. it could be the chance you get to show that you are not just equipped, but you are always prepared. They get to touch your cool pc when the need to show each other something online arises; usually does.
Assuming TfL made you late – they take the blame all the time; innit? – slip out this damn cute laptop out first while apologising… it could redirect attention
“phew! what laptop is that?”
Never be anything but yourself, and always be willing to learn more.
I know that I’m never going to fit into a corporate environment (although I can rock a well-cut suit). I sometimes swear and I sometimes say the wrong thing. I make mistakes sometimes because I’m human. Being personable gets you hired. Not being perfect, and not being afraid to do things wrong means that I learn and can adapt to what my clients need. I might know my field well, but there’s always space to learn.
I also happen to know the best places in London to eat cake. That’s always a good start to a meeting.
As a blogger, I have sometimes been forced to emerge from the darkness to meet people face to face. I’ve found everything goes better if I’m not late. It also goes better if I haven’t had to sprint the half mile from the station and aren’t on sweat-management for the first ten minutes of the meeting.
Charging the laptop battery helps because good luck finding a plug in a cafe, and if you do it inevitably ends up being strung across the aisle like a tripwire. Know that whoever you meet will probably have been communicating with you by e-mail for a while and may be shocked by your appearance when compared to the carefully chosen photo on the site, just make no mention of it and by the end of the meeting they’ll probably be used to it.
Always have a firm handshake because that means business, I’m not strong enough to do this naturally so really pump myself up for the big moment. If your blog is not successful, offer to buy them a drink or food, if it is, let them do it.
Don’t talk about yourself too much, even though it feels good. Ask them lots of questions, like you would on a date, and tell them you like something they did even though you actually only spotted it in a google search that morning.
I’ve heard all the urban myths about the dangers of a bad first impression. From the businesswoman, who was interviewing for a top management and multi-million pound position with a well known company, and who was subsequently turned down for not wearing tights at the interview, to the group of high powered execs who plonked their wrong brand phones on the table of a pitch for another high street mobile provider.
The lesson learnt is it’s all in the detail. My top tips are make time for the “little” people, heard the story about the girl who was offered a job, simply because she chatted with the receptionist while waiting for her turn to be interviewed? It turns out the receptionist had been at the company as long as the MD…and had his ear.
A tip I picked up from Carole Stone, the queen of networking and first impressions, is to meet two or three good contacts at a networking event rather than the entire room, and follow up with an email the next day to say thanks, it’s amazing where common courtesy get’s you these days. Another tip is to get some business cards and keep your them in a handy pocket at networking events, so you don’t have to reach everywhere to find them!
Push yourself out of your comfort zone and make friends with the person sitting opposite you in the cafeteria, you never know when they can help you in the future. I’m a bit hazy on this one, but I recall another myth about a woman who sat opposite a stranger, who turned out to head up a major steel corporation, and was so impressed with her he took her on as his protégé, I think she now runs the company.
Lastly, I think a good first impression is all in the detail. Show your respect your those you’re meeting by making sure the little things are in place e.g. polished shoes, a freshly ironed shirt and a smile.
Hope this helps!
Presuming that most of us take a notepad of some sort to a meeting, a distinctive notepad is a surprising way of breaking down the barriers a little and letting people relax. I’ve been into Google offices a few times, and each time I come out with a goodie bag, including Google branded notebooks.
I tend to use them as they happen to be about the right size for carrying around – but I quickly realised that they seem to elicit envy in people at meetings who wonder how I acquired such a desirable (?!) product. The Google brand being such a strong one, and as the company is quite difficult to engage with on a human level, having penetrated their digital fortress and spoken to people there is seen as quite impressive.
In the understandable absence of a Google branded notepad, the more useful tip is to take a notepad with an interesting cover as it can be a good way to break the ice and build relations with people about shared interests.
Another tip is to make sure you don’t carry anything in your main hand for a few minutes before you meet the person. If, like me, you find meetings a bit stressful, then you might get clammy hands from holding your bag/notebook/etc, so keeping that hand empty helps to keep the hand cool and fresh before you shake the other person’s hand.
Failing all that, you could be invited to a meeting in a semi-private club, which was above a restaurant, up a flight of stairs, along a corridor and behind a non-descript door. There was also a short flight of steps down on the other side of the door which were not noticed as I looked around to locate my meeting partner – and which I then fell down to his considerable amusement.
It was certainly a memorable meeting.
Uhh – that’s easy and simple:
Me: ‘Hello? Technical support? I have a problem with [X]
TS: ‘Problem with [Y] could be because (jabbers on about Y which he knows about rather than X which I asked about).
Me: ‘I asked about [X]‘
TS: ‘Yes, [Y] can be…
Make sure that the people we first get in contact with have some idea about the field and can answer questions competently or know who to field the questions to (not after a long chase around of diverts). My first impression of a company is made on how competent the first person I contact in the company is at dealing with my issues.
In one job I spent my weeks flying around Europe and further afield and learnt one absolute. Always, but *always*, know how to greet someone in their own language, no matter that they will in all probability want to show off their ability in English. This doesn’t mean just the people you are visiting especially but the receptionist upon arrival (who will be letting them know you’ve arrived and pass on her or his first impression – especially important in sales!). This also means knowing in advance how to pronounce their name, and getting the personal and family names in the right order (nothing worse than saying ‘Good afternoon Mr John’ instead of Mr Doe). This can also be extended into knowing what the usual styles and standards of ‘business dress’ are in that locale and being suited and booted accordingly (and naturally, unless you are being met at an airport, ensuring you don’t wear your jacket/outer on the plane in case something gets spilled over it but have it in carry-on and change when you pick up your car or jump into the taxi).
Oh – and above all – be friendly! Don’t be scared of them and they won’t be scared of you (unless they know you’ve come to close down their office, in which case you’re already lost.)
Smile. Not in a cheesey, panicky I-really-hope-this-looks-ok way, but in an its-nice-to-meet-a-new-person-what’s-your-name way.
Unless you’re meeting someone who is hyper-efficient and / or an android, start things off by asking them a few questions (preferably prepared in advance, and based on things you know about them), and get to know them. This is as much for you as for them, because the more at-ease everyone feels, the better the meeting is likely to go. Or if it doesn’t go brilliantly, you’ve at least established a rapport that you can use to exit gracefully and still maintain the contact.
Body language is also important for both of you – it will influence how you both feel and respond. Try to keep an open posture (don’t cross your arms all the time, but don’t leave them dangling by your sides. If you’re at a loss for what to do with them, clasp them in front of you and look earnest). Angle yourself to face whoever you’re meeting, and at least look like you’re listening to them when they talk (*non-creepy* eye contact, and possibly more towards them than away from them – also in a non-creep, not-invading-their-personal-space kind of way).
If someone feels like you’re interested in them, and that you’ve listened to what they had to say, then that’s (at least part of) a good first impression. “Indifferent snappy dresser with some nice hardware” is not.
It sounds daft but a really easy way to make a great first impression is to be appropriately dressed with the right kit. There’s nothing more annoying then waiting for someone to frig about with powerpoint.
When I have guests coming on a private tour with me I always walk or drive or check the internet for our planned route because it looks so bad if you are happily going along and then find the path is closed and there’s a massive diversion or something is unexpectedly closed. Hard to bluff that it’s just happened…
Be prepared – not just for boy scouts!
Speak clearly…
It still sticks in my mind a newspaper hawker shouting at passersby:
“Beardy dear, yo Delhi pepper”.
I later discoverd he was saying: “Get it here! Your daily paper!”
Just imagine how much more business he might have done.
My top trade secret blogging-wise is engagement!
There’s nothing worse than finding something on someone’s blog really interesting, and then making a comment which is never acknowledged.
In fact, if you want to get your blog noticed, tackle something controversial – especially something subjective with no right/wrong! As long as you can back up your entry, it will get a lot of interest!
Just remember to engage!
Generally clichés are clichés for a good reason: they’ve stood the test of time and seem to hold true. The one that I try to swear by when making a first impression is definitely:
“Listen: don’t just wait for your turn to speak.”
Don’t be too self-indulgent, and use all of that obvious body language to show that you’re attentive and enthused by what the person is saying. Ask questions that can’t be dealt with by a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and where possible contribute something of your own on the topic of discussion. Don’t come across as overly-opinionated right away: reserve that for the more in-depth conversations that will follow if the initial meeting goes sound. Stick to light-hearted topics that are interesting: for instance tales of travels past or travel plans, rather than the gloomy weather outside.
That being said I look forward to answering all of your questions tomorrow!
I wanted to make a good first impression so I tried painting my Dell laptop white, using a jumbo pot of tipex. It didn’t work and now I realise this was unnecessary. MACs aren’t the only cool computers any more.
If it’s random meetings at events? Smile; ask lots of questions and show an interest, let the other person talk if they want. Keep your focus on them and not on the next person along as you scan for the ‘right’ person you just have to meet. Practice your closing lines – a good line out of the conversation is as important as the opening
Planned meetings – get the details right. Do your research so you have a few conversation starters and hopefully have identified shared interests so the conversation can be maintained if necessary.
I often do the IT induction for new starters in the company I work for, and I find it’s very helpful to be pretty informal in the induction, but also re-iterate the guidelines or policy points with a real world example. e.g. rather than just list rules about what is forbidden by policy, I tend to say for example “A lot of the rules are governed by common sense – don’t open attachments from untrusted or unknown senders – you know, just the sort of things you would do at normally do at home”. It puts confidence in them that they are immediately in a sort of ‘trusted safe zone’, rather than feeling condescended which I know some IT people can do. I usually top off my inductions by again reiterating “If you don’t remember something or are unsure, or if there’s anything at all you need to know – just give me a call and I’ll point you in the right direction, even if I can’t help you directly”. The ‘friend on the inside’ feeling goes a long way to building a trusted relationship.
To add to the language point above, when you’re meeting a business associate for the first time who has different cultural norms to your own (whether that is because they are from another country, or have a very different background) take time to do some research on how they might be expected to behave in a business context, so that you don’t make the mistake of creating an immediate bad impression.
For example (and I accept that this is a generalisation but it’s stood me in good stead), while being effusive and tactile when introducing yourself to a Spanish client might be an ideal approach to take, as a rule it isn’t the way to get off on the right foot with a German business person…
Make sure you are wearing trousers. Really REALLY helps.
Smile!
Walk with your head up. People who are nervous tend to stare at the floor – particularly for those who (like me) are made uncomfortable by unfamiliar social settings. Reminding yourself to keep your head straight and eyes up will project confidence and give a better first impression.
On a related note, wear nice shoes. That staring-at-the-floor problem runs in two directions.
My top trade secret is to make an effort; to go the extra mile. It is very easy to come up with some reason for not doing something, when the reality is you are using it as an excuse for being lazy.
How NOT to make a good impression
Trust me, I speak from experience…. Sometimes everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. This all happened to me in one pitch to a new client last year:
1. Do not break your leg. Crutches are never a great look for a PR consultant, and you can get hot and sticky very quickly.
2. Avoid tube problems. (A Thursday morning Circle/District line diversion and shut-down left me in Aldgate East, not at my Liverpool Street destination. Taxi!)
3. Avoid rain. Watching full taxis swish by in a downpour means yet more damp creases in an already crutch-crumpled suit. (Taxi!!)
4. Have your contact’s mobile number. If – God forbid – you’re running late, ringing his PA and asking her to relay a message is not good (TAXI!!!).
5. Excuse your lateness quickly. You are not re-telling a Viking saga.
6. Do not let your crutches fall over. Crashing metal crutches are not quiet.
7. Start your PC from hibernation mode, not from shutdown. Waiting five minutes while your ancient PC boots up rapidly raises your embarrassment and stress levels.
8. Check the projector. Show your carefully honed slides at the correct resolution, not the 600×800 left by a previous user … (breaks out into cold sweat!).
9. Check your PC’s on mains power (that socket is switched on, isn’t it?), not battery. Mid-meeting warning messages don’t help.
10. Have a new-looking USB stick to leave with the prospect.
Perhaps needless to say, I didn’t win the work, but I now leave nothing to chance.
Top trade secret….SMILE. Yes, I can see it’s been said before, but it’s the best way to make a (positive) first impression. Or you could try leaving your umbrella in the interview room, then running back 5 mins later to ask for it back (somehow, I still got the job…)
Here are some of my top tips on making a great first impression:
* Think of all the senses. Yes, you want to look good and sound good – but don’t underestimate the importance of scent. Our sense of smell is actually our most powerful sense, hardwired into the brain’s instinctive reactions for deciding if something is good or bad – and that means it’s also a handy psychological shortcut to winning acceptance. To make sure you get in a prospective client’s good books, follow them home the night before, find their bins, and roll around in their garbage so that you smell of “home”.
* Don’t be afraid to talk yourself up – false modesty won’t win you any friends. In a meeting, convey the fact that you’re a high achiever by shouting “booyah!” and high-fiving yourself every time you think you’ve made a good point.
* Gain the psychological upper hand. When you first approach the people you’re meeting, put your hand up to your ear and audibly mutter “TARGETS ACQUIRED” into your sleeve. Then shake them firmly by the hand, ostentatiously pat them on the back, and start nodding and winking at somebody out of the window behind their back.
* Go the extra mile. Nothing adds that special personal touch the first time you meet someone like wearing a kilt in their family tartan.
* Think about personal branding. To make sure they’ll remember you, why not develop your own unique catchphrase? It should be something snappy and memorable, but also ambiguous enough that you can use it every single time a topic of discussion is concluded. Try something like “That’s how they do it in New Mexico!”, “I think we’re all here now, Aunty Doris!”, or “I love that you’re made of meat!”
* If you’re giving a presentation, remember to add the phrase “as our Dark Lord willed it” after every key point you make.
* NAMES. This is the absolute, number one most important thing – there’s simply no way to recover if you’ve obviously forgotten someone’s name halfway through a meeting. To ensure this doesn’t happen, when you’re first introduced, close your eyes and say their name out loud twenty or thirty times while rocking gently back and forth.
* Stand out from your competitors. None of them will show up wearing clown make-up.
I find that my appearance, manners and general efficiency are usually forgiven if I bring one other element “to the table”: money.
Whenever I meet a new person, I hand them a crisp ten pound note. It *must* be crisp – once I made the mistake of giving a new contact a crumpled note, and, while he still accepted the cash, I could tell he hated me for it. It was in the flare of his nostrils.
On days when I feel that, for example, wearing shoes is a burden I cannot bear, I will raise the amount to somewhere around the £20 mark. Lack of genital covering means my new contact finds herself £50 richer. The full monty is a rarity in winter, but can occur in summer. Let me tell you, it’s not easy to find a place to hide £100 on a naked body!!!!!! I usually find one though.
While this may seem an expensive approach, I am effectively investing in others’ first impression of me – and that brings a return worth far more than gold (in a way).
Plus, if you’re meeting for coffee or a ham sandwich you’ll find that they will almost certainly feel obliged to pay. And they say there’s no such thing as a free lunch!
I wish I had a trade secret – I really do, because I would love to win that computer. But if I had a trade secret that worked I would definitely not be in dire need of a new laptop and wishing one would fall out of the sky.
As a 20 year old I twice discovered how NOT to make a good impression and in the spirit of this competition I share this with my fellow Bloggers so they can make a good impression by doing the opposite of what I did!
I was escorting the Chief of Staff of the Irish Army, Lieutenant General Carl O’Sullivan around a radio display with his ADC (Aide de Camp). In my nervousness I addressed him as Lieutenant O’Sullivan. Almost instantaneously I received a sharp dig in the ribs and a whisper in my ear “For F#@ks sake call him General!” Afterwards the ADC had a more considered discussion that the military etiquette is always to address an officer by their higher rank, never by their lower rank.
It got worse, later the same year at a reception at a European Scout and Guide Conference I ended up talking to a very attractive blonde girl who spoke English with a slight American accent. She told me she was the Chief Commissioner for Lichtenstein and noticing her name badge said Nora Lichtenstein I said this must lead to lots of joking. She smiled and moved on. One of her party then told me I had been speaking to Nora Prinzessin von und zu Liechtenstein, or Princess Nora von Lichtenstein to us common folk.
Needless to say these incidents had a crippling effect on my self confidence since then I have never tried to chat up a princess. You only get one chance to make a first impression!
My “first impression” tip, which goes as much for meetings as it does for interviews, presentations, loan applications, dates, court appearances, etc. is that there’s no point in putting a lot of effort into being nervous.
If you’re meeting someone for the first time they won’t know if you’re good at what you do, so it’s a waste of energy and effort making sure that they know that you’re not.
Just concentrate on getting the job done well, and leave the judging part up to them.
Although I’ve got to say, Stuart’s technique of handing out crisp tenners is worth further investigation – provided you’re addressing a group of 20 or fewer.
In a meeting always prepare yourself before, think of the worst/most difficult question a client could ask and have a clever response!
Learn the art of small talk. It doesn’t come easily to many people, but the person who can dabble in small talk is the one that makes a good first impression and helps everyone else when the conversation lags!
Simple: believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself how are other supposed to?
Every one of us wants to be in business, yet we seem clueless when it comes to making crucial first impression. But at one point we all have met someone who has impressed us and who we wanted to do business with, sometimes even without giving a second thought. That’s how effective positive first impression can be. So what did we notice in them that made us fall for? Most probably they had the following points in common.
1. They had dressed to impress us. Not necessarily it should have been the Armani suits, but still were dressed modestly and accordingly that we loved them for the event.
2. They communicated effectively with us. Of course, everyone knows how to speak clearly but had we not comprehend what they had to say, we would have easily taken no notice of them.
2. Their humour did set the mood. Yes, humour worked when it was made sure to be prudent. They played it safe by keeping their jokes to themselves.
3. They didn’t blow their own trumpet, let us hog the spotlight and bask in it. It helped us to know more about the person we wanted to be in business with.
Well, lot other things as well. We may have fallen in love with their smile, the way they carried themselves or just even the firm handshake.
Every details count and however cliché it may sound, it’s true that you don’t get a second chance to make that first crucial impression. So, make it simple, personal and most importantly be yourself.
P.S. I didn’t blow up my comment of secrets being funny. Hopefully this makes a better impression to win the above ultraportable Dell!
It’s a confidence trick, a balancing act fir multiple players.
New social relationships always start with our oh-so-polite-and-genteel version of the canine habits of examining each others ‘scent’. It is a natural reaction, working out the power balance.
The best way to defuse this is to give them the upper hand in some way, letting them feel confident, without giving too much and demonstrating plenty self confidence afterwards. Too much up-front and you’re aggressive, a threat. Too little and you’re not going to impress.
I like to present myself in ‘memorable’ shirts – smart, but worthy of a quip. I’m happy to laugh with them, and prove I have both a sense of humour, but a self-confidence to deal with things.
What you do, say, bring and even wear to the meeting are part of your personal brand, and you should let them express your personality too.
Then you have to be able to follow through!
The best way of making a good lasting impression on anyone you ever meet is to be genuinely interested in them as a human being and not just in what you can get from them.
People can sense a mile away when you are being genuine and when you are faking it.
For example, next time you are at a supermarket check out point, acknowledge the person serving you.
If they are wearing a name badge, then address them by their name. There is a reason why people in service industries wear a name tag – so you can call them by their name!
When you meet anyone, look into the eyes of the other person – in this case the person on the other side of the counter and do this with the intention to connect with them at a deeper lever.
Just smile at them or ask them how they’re doing, or whatever you want as a form of greeting.
At this point usually, you will find that they will be very present and in tune with you. And you in turn will be that much more present.
People need your presence, not your presents!
So it’s simple really – be interested, not interesting. People will get you. Securing any deal or moving forward in your business relationship will be that much easier after that.
You can be wearing the best attire in the world, you could be perfectly groomed, but people will only remember you if you make them feel good.
You can make all the preparations in the world when meeting someone and yet they will forget all the tiny details of your interaction. However they will remember HOW you made them feel.
At the same time, be true to yourself – who you are will scream louder than your words and the clothes you wear.
Make the best of yourself and dress appropriately, but don’t be a show pony!
There is this famous anecdotal story of when Gandhi visited London in 1930. He met the King of Great Britain in London whilst wearing only his simple wrap around cloth.
A journalist asked Gandhi, “Mr Gandhi, did you feel under-dressed when you met the King?”
Gandhi replied, “The King was wearing enough clothes for both of us!”
Yes, of course all the superficial things do matter but to a lesser degree.
• Make good eye contact – but don’t fixate on someone and spook them out.
• Don’t look shifty – they will wonder why the lights or the floor are suddenly so interesting to you!
• Be on time, it’s only courtesy and being in integrity. If you are running late for whatever reason, let them know!
• Don’t try and earn brownie points.
• Do go the extra mile – because there is no traffic jam on that mile!
• Have something memorable about you that you can give them – I always give away a copy of my book “Get the Life you Love” as my calling card!
Finally smile – but make sure your smile is genuine and not painted on. If it helps, just remember to think of your favourite dirty joke!
And if the person you are meeting is really, really intimidating, just imagine how gross they would look naked. That should make you smile!
Happy 2011 everyone!
Smile and nod.
Everything after that is simple.
Wear really, really cool shoes
First impressions…. they’re like pot noodles.
They’re made instantly, it depends on your mood whether you like them or not, and you know there’s no nutritional logic behind eating them.
First impressions are made in a snap shot, and judged on the subtlest of things. Most lack any solid reasoning – they’re just a gut reaction.
Being relaxed, genuine and quietly confident is the best thing you can do in my opinion. Over-thinking things will stand out a mile away…. (and stink like a Doner Kebab flavour pot noodle)