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Print Making Your Best First Impression
There are four areas to make a good, first impression:
· What do I look like? Your facial expression, your posture, your eye contact, your dress.
· What do I sound like? Vary your volume - to make a point, speak softly. Watch the rate of your speech and the inflections.
· What do I say? Use good grammar; use simple vocabulary; keep conversation relevant.
· How well do I listen? Talk less and actively listen more.
The "handshake" will make a lasting impression. Watch that you do NOT shake hands the
following ways:
· the dishrag/deadfish
· the "jackhammer"
· the "guided missile"
· the "smother" - this is too personal, intimate and condescending. It is only appropriate at funerals OR with the clergy.
The best handshake is when you lock thumbs and use a downward pressure. Three "pumps" of the hand are maximum. Extend your hand up and out from the waist, with the elbow not beyond the body.
Tips for Small Talk When in a Room Full of People
Know how to get in to the conversations. If there are three or more people, then join the group. Be attentive, and at a lull, make an appropriate remark or introduce yourself.
To know how to start a conversation, make a statement or a response to something that has been said. Ask questions on a topic that means something to the people in the group, or ask an opinion or advice. Keep asking questions as that keeps them involved.
But, know how to stop. Make a closing statement such as, "Excuse me, it's been nice talking with you. Hopefully we will meet again." Then move to a group on the far side of the room. It isn't necessary to make excuses.
Do avoid the trap of waiting for people to "let you in" in the group. Most people will not include you. You will need to be somewhat assertive and take the initiative.
Remembering Names
To help you remember a person's name, use it a few times in the conversation without it seeming to be repeated. If possible, have a "hook" - anything visual that catches your visual attention that relates to the name. In your mind, draw a picture of the "hook" and the name. Then, if needed, make an association with a rhyming word, or the opposite of what goes with the name.
Your Professional Image
· Use "thank-you" notes, in your own handwriting. Have no other business in mind other than to say "thank you". And, say "thank you" only once.
· Pay attention to unique occasions in people's lives, then congratulate them, offer sympathy, etc.
· When using business cards, never give out dirty or torn cards as a business card is an extension of ourselves. Try not to have the card full of information as it looks cluttered. It is best to not give out the card too early in meeting someone new. Do it at the end of the conversation.
Adapted from a one-day Fred Pryor seminar entitled, "Interpersonal Skills."
