How To Create A Positive First Impression In Order To Establish Rapport And Make Great Conversation

We, as human beings are at times concerned with how we present ourselves to others. We understand that making a positive first impression goes a long way in determining how others will view us, potentially for the remainder of the relationship. As such, whether you are on the dating scene or you are trying to establish rapport and ultimately develop great conversation with business clients, it is imperative that we take the most effective steps to ensure a favorable first impression.

When preparing to make a great first impression, one needs to establish exactly what the other person is looking for? One thing you must always remember, and no matter how much you may disagree with it, people always judge you initially by the following four criteria:

1. Your Physical Appearance

2. Your Bodily Demeanor

3. What You Sound Like

4. The Content of Your Speech

Did you notice what was first and last on the list? That's right, people judge others, at least initially, by what they look like, their physical appearance. Conversely, the last component of the judgment sequence is what someone actually says. As I mentioned, you don't necessarily have to agree with this, but studies have shown this to be the case.

So, since we now know that making a positive first impression in order to establish rapport and ultimately make great conversation largely hinges on factors that don't even include talking, we need to determine what we need to do to create the ideal first impression.

For your physical appearance, make it a habit to always stay abreast of the dress code for any parties, networking events or dinners in which you plan to participate. Being underdressed or overdressed can absolutely kill your confidence as well as create the illusion that you are apathetic or "out of touch" with today's wardrobe trends. Also, concentrate on wearing clothes that accentuate or complements your body build. And as always, stupendous personal hygiene is a must!

For your bodily demeanor, it has been stated over and over again, but there are no truer words: Always, smile. It doesn't need to be some goofy, toothy grin, but a warm, open and genuine smile is always one of the best conversation starters and will certainly create a positive first impression.

Your sound. The natural tendency when we are meeting someone new is to be at least somewhat nervous. Consequently, our speech patterns tend to speed up, rendering some of our words incomprehensible. We must always be cognizant of this and make it a priority to enunciate our words slowly and with power and confidence.

Finally, the content of your speech. This is what we have been working to get to. Don't worry about it, this only accounts for about 6% of the impression you leave on someone. Remember, excellent communicators and great conversationalists most often have to speak very little.

Implementing these steps can ensure that you are able to create that positive first impression you are seeking.