Written by Rakelle Maurici in Tips & Advice on the 21st July 2015

You know it’s true when they say “It takes years to build a good reputation and seconds to destroy it”. You can begin building that reputation with a first impression. If you get off on the wrong foot it’s often hard to get back on track afterwards. Studies also show that more impressions are built on non-verbal communication. Here is how to go about building that with potential friends, romantic partners and business colleagues in our six top tips.

Firstly smile - it’s a sign of welcome, an invitation to say you’re friendly and approachable. Secondly, shake hands – a lot of great relationships are formed at the start of a firm handshake. Naturally a firm handshake makes us feel secure, so don’t be too weak but don’t be too hard either, especially if it’s a woman that you’re greeting... it may scare them away!

Keep good posture - a person’s body language says a lot about them, when meeting someone or a group of people for the first time stand up straight don’t hunch your shoulders. The key is to look confident even if you’re nervous. Make eye contact - it will make the other person more comfortable with you if you’re engaging with them fully and it shows you are trustworthy too. Make time - have you ever been in one of those conversations with someone who just talked about themselves the entire time, without asking anything about you? Or even worse, when you did try to say something, they weren’t even paying attention? You don’t want to be that guy who has no time for anybody else - give your time and attention.

Be interesting - with this one we’re not advising that you tell fibs to make yourself sound more interesting but leave a little to the imagination, you will have better conversations. Make sure you seem interested in getting to know whoever you’re talking with, find out what makes them tick. Your appearance - this could be a whole article in itself since everyone’s style is different and it depends on the environment you’re in. However, there are important things to think about... a watch can say a lot about your personality so if you want to be taken seriously, leave the toy watch at home - wear leather or a metal strapped timepiece. Every woman will pay attention to your shoes so keep them clean and simple. Wear something that will stand out so you’ll be remembered, maybe add a colourful pocket square to your jacket or interesting cufflinks. Lastly, think about how you want someone to perceive you. If you want to look professional and smart keep your hairstyle in that way. Make sure whatever you wear truly reflects who you are and what image you want to portray since this will stick with you in someone’s first impression.

Tips on How to Make a Good First Impression with a focus on appearance, posture, style, posture and more.