Make a good first impression: make use of all of the five senses
The human brain processes an incredible amount of information fed in from our sensory organs every second of every day. Most of this information processing isn't conscious, but it's all used to create our impression of the world we see around us.
You probably already know about body language. Body language is the information we communicate to others via the movement and position of our own bodies. Body language is arguably the most powerful of all communication devices (it certainly seems to outrank speech), and if used correctly can be used to convey all sorts of positive messages about ourselves to the people around us.
However, body language isn't the only non-verbal language that you are speaking every day. To make a truly good impression you must take control of all of the information that you are sending out about yourself. Flawless body language is essentially useless if the rest of your body is sending out conflicting signals. Tackling all five senses is the only guaranteed way to ensure that other people are seeing only good things from you.
Sight
Aside from body language, we also give away visual clues about our personality by the way we dress. Could you take a businessman seriously if he was wearing jeans and t-shirt?
- Loose clothing shows creativity and open-mindedness, but in a high powered corporate environment could also be a sign of laxity.
- Oddly enough, wearing warm colors will give you the impression of being a warm person. Cold colors, while perhaps showing a more cold personality can also be linked with efficiency and a greater dedication to your work.
- Most women understand the importance of shoes, however many men do not. Make sure you are always wearing a good pair of shoes, and that they are clean. If you are not taking care of your shoes, then how can you convince someone that you are 'going places'.
- A watch is a must. Preferably analogue (digital watches, unless especially stylish, convey an air of laziness). Wearing a watch every day is a sign of organization, and of steadfastness in good habits.
- Chewed nails are usually a sign of nervousness. If you are not in a very high powered job then you should be taking care of your nails. Nails should be short, clean and smooth (long nails will usually get in the way of work). Painted nails are out.
Smell
Your sense of smell is more important than you think. Don't go overboard with aftershaves or perfumes, but give yourself a distinct fragrance (perhaps changing some of the tones subtly from time to time) that people can learn to recognize and trust. Your sense of smell is deeply linked to the emotional pathways in your brain. It has been shown that a single smell unique to a certain place can bring back vivid memories of an event to those familiar with it.
For the Men
- Avoid most 'spicy' fragrances. Even if you adore them, there are many people who cannot stand them.
- The emphasis should be on freshness and cleanliness.
- A musky or earthy smell is best, warm and soft.
For the Women
- Again, nothing spicy or overpowering.
- The emphasis here should be on delicacy and subtlety.
- The ideal fragrance for most women is jasmine.
- It's always best to use products with only natural and organic compounds, as these are generally less likely to irritate those with particularly sensitive noses.
- Pay particular attention to your hair. Hair is surprisingly good at holding smells. Some people will even recommend you to apply perfume directly to your hair, but at the very least you should be paying attention to the smell of your shampoo.
Sound
While you may dislike the sound of your own voice, it is certainly worth making an effort to adjust the tone of your speech to allow yourself to sound more amiable/authoritative/trustworthy.
- If you have a strong local accent (ask someone non-local whether you do, as your friends may not notice it) then it may be worth paying for elocution lessons in order to tone it down and achieve a more universal voice.
- A lisp isn't necessarily a bad thing. To some it may even be endearing. If you feel that your listp is adversely affecting your ability to speak clearly and precisely then you should consider visiting a speech therapist. If not, do not try and hide the fact that you have a lisp as this will invariably make it sound worse.
- If you speak in any form of eye dialect or local slang, be careful to avoid using it in inappropriate situations.
- Cursing is fine if the situation allows for it. Don't overdo it, but don't be that one guy that refuses to curse. A curse word is a powerful weapon when used appropriately, and a black mark against your name when it isn't.
- Always speak slowly and clearly (but not patronizingly). You may have heard a million times that you should think before you speak, but just how often do you really do this. It's a skill worth acquiring if you haven't already.
- Use technical words in technical situations, at all other times stick to your common parlance.
- Think about all the other sounds that you make vocally that don't really count as speech, and apply the same rules to these as to your speaking.
Touch
- The human psyche is obsessed with touch, and if you expect to be touched, then you should be in a position to cater to this.
- Keep your skin moisturized. Men, this won't erode your manhood or make you 'metrosexual', it's simply a sign that you are looking after your own body, and an invitation to be touched more often.
- Stubble is fine. Beards, generally, are not. Women, unfortunately, you are expected to keep yourself entirely smooth.
- Experiment with textures in clothing. Flock printed t-shirts, corduroy and suede can turn your outfit into a touch journey.
- Accessories made of different materials (shells, wood, metals) should be worn expressly to be played with. Accessories make an impression on sight, but their true function should be to make your body fun to touch.
- Men, a 'six-pack' is unnecessary, but a little definition goes a long way.
Women, as long as your weight is 'healthy' you shouldn't worry too much about it. Too much excess fat is indeed a turn off, but you should have at least some. No, really.
Taste
Yes. Though somewhat eclipsed by the other senses in terms of the signals your own body is giving off you should, theoretically aim to 'taste' good. I don't mean that sexually at all. Put simply, if you are looking after your body properly then you should taste as well as look, smell and feel good. If you have a good diet and beauty regime (you too men) then this should also be taken care of.
