How to Make an Impactful Impression Without Using Fashion
Make it stand out.
When you hear the phrase “making an impactful impression” what comes to mind? I am sure you picture what clothes to put on, what shoes to wear, what accessories would match them, and the colors all these should be in. I, however, have to put a pin through that thought bubble because to “make an impactful impression,” you need more than just what you wear or how you wear it. Making an impactful impression is an important key to making meaningful connections in life and in business. According to Forbes, it takes just seven seconds of a meeting for people to form a solid impression of you, and some research suggests a tenth of a second is all it takes to start determining traits like trustworthiness. It should, therefore, not come as a shock to you that what you wear is about a third of what influences people’s impression because if someone wears a dress with a $2000 price tag but doesn’t have enough confidence to do the dress justice, it will not leave the desired impact. That is why I have put together a list of attributes that will help you make a great first impression.
SKINCARE
Whether you are an office worker who spends the entire workday in an office, a consultant to clients, or a freelancer, we are all hoping from one first impression to the other. We want to stand out for the work we do and sometimes for our looks. Permit me to ask then: Are you comfortable in your own skin? For Mikara Reid, “a down day is no makeup, vibrant earrings, leggings, a simple fitted t-shirt with a chic windbreaker, and running sneakers. That all sounds plain jane, but when you see me walk in a room, I still command that impression with very little fashion effort, all because my skincare is on point, and I feel great about it! To make a great impression on people, you need to take care of your skin.” Have you ever heard people complimenting others on how flawless their skin looks? That is why more and more people are turning to photo filters to give them flawless skin complexions. Some may think having flawless skin comes naturally, and to that, I say they are not totally wrong. Everyone is born with flawless skin, but it doesn’t stay flawless if it is not meticulously cared for. And as Mikara implied, having great skin boosts your self-confidence and influences how you carry yourself. See a professional dermatologist for assistance in creating a personal skincare routine.
MAKEUP
“If your skin is in a great state, makeup will glide on easily, and much won’t be needed,” is the advice Mikara gives to her clients. But if you haven’t yet attained the great complexion, you may need a bit more makeup. Before you start putting on makeup, however, you need to learn how to do it properly and also the right amount to use for specific meetings — too little of it doesn’t help, and too much does more harm than good. Using makeup can boost your confidence, but be careful you don’t buy into the I-am-not-beautiful-without-makeup mentality. Makeup is to help enhance your beauty, not to overshadow it — be sure to remember that.
APPEARANCE
As previously stated, clothes aren’t the only things that influence people’s impression of you. How you keep your nails, what you do to your hair, and how beautiful your smile is all necessary when it comes to making a great impression.
Having consistent manicured fingernails says a lot about you as a woman. That is why Mikara takes great care when she is giving her clients ideas on to tell express themselves and their careers through their manicures. If you are interested, check out the Image Development services.
Smiling is a universal gesture that makes you appear friendly and approachable. There’s nothing like a smile to create a good first impression. A warm and confident smile will put both you and the other person at ease. But having great teeth to smile with gives you a particular confidence boost. It is never too late to improve your teeth. When Mikara was in her 30’s, she decided to perfect her smile and has never regretted that decision to date. “To me, it was another phenomenal investment I made in myself,” she relays. The intricacies of dental care will not be discussed in this article, but here are a few tips that will help you keep your smile beautiful:
This may be an expensive option, but if you can afford it and you need it to get braces, don’t be hesitant to. They help keep your teeth align and straight, and if the word of several world-renowned dentists are to be believed, then aside from boosting your confidence, having straight teeth improves other parts of your health.
Brushing your teeth twice a day helps keep your smile beautiful.
Lastly, don’t forget to floss.
“When your hair doesn’t do what you want it to do, nothing else seems to matter either,” says molecular biologist Professor Dame Anne Glover. Most of us have had a bad hair day once or twice, or twenty times and can agree with what Professor Anne is saying. If you don’t get your hairstyle quite right, it can mess up your entire day, including the impressions people who see you that day form of you. So be sure to keep your hair in a presentable state when venturing out your door. It boosts your self-image and influences the impressions formed about you.
BOBY LANGUAGE/ POSTURE
Making a good impression is heavily dependent on nonverbal communication as much as, if not more than, verbal communication because before people hear you speak, they will first notice how you carry yourself, and even during conversations, some little gestures you might think are insignificant may be what people base their impression of you on. Here are a few points to help improve you’re your body language:
Focus on the person- Making and maintaining eye contact during a conversation tells your interlocutor that you are interested in what they are saying and can sometimes prove how genuine you are.
As you focus on the person, make sure you are listening to what the person has to say. Zeno of Citium, an ancient philosopher, said, “The reason we have two ears and one mouth is that we may hear more and speak less.” If you don’t hear what a person says, you can’t form an accurate and intelligent response.
Watch your voice tone- Be sure to keep your voice confident and strong without being loud and rude. Avoid sounding unsure. If you are yet to gather your thoughts, take a few moments to do that before speaking.
Relax- Take a few breaths before starting the conversation, and as previously stated, if at any point during the conversion, you find yourself short of words, take a deep breath to gather your thoughts than just jabbering on about irrelevant things.
Posture- Pay attention to your posture. Stand tall and proud. Center your upper body over your hips. Tuck your stomach in, and hold your shoulders back. Imagine a string is being pulled upward from the top of your head. Stand evenly on both feet. And, avoid crossing your feet or legs while you stand because others may see you as mousy.
Let your words match your body language- People are bound to mistrust you if you say one thing, but your body language expresses another or the opposite sentiment. If you are trying to convey a happy message, let your tone be one of happiness, and if a sad message, let it be one of sadness.
Respect other people’s cultural differences- Wars have been fought over people disrespecting another’s culture. Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean you should mock it. Let’s take Asia, for instance; although it is advisable to maintain eye contact, maintaining eye contact in Asian and Native American cultures is considered inappropriate.
Be mindful of your movements. Walk briskly with an easy stride and avoid fidgeting with your hands or constantly touching your face. Usually, less is more when moving. Excessive movements may signal nervousness, jitteriness, or flightiness. Confident people are slower and more controlled with movements.
WELLNESS/MINDSET
Life can get hectic at times. With everything going on around us, it is understandable to be in a constant state of stress. It is understandable but unhealthy to always be stressed. Stress can have a plethora of effects on our body and especially on our skin — including bags under the eyes, dryness of skin, cause wrinkles to form, among others. All these can be avoided by taking some time out of your busy schedule to meditate to calm yourself. And if during the day you find yourself stressing over things, especially things out of your control, take a deep breath to center yourself. As I said earlier, it is understandable to be stressed, but it is wiser and more beneficial to remain calm.
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Lastly, a 20-minute exercise at least three times a week will do wonders for your self-confidence and help you start off the day in the right state of mind. Also, having a balanced and nutritious diet directly affects how fit and healthy you are. You don’t have to be skinny or muscular, but exercising regularly will help you maintain the body type you want to feel good about yourself, and feeling good about yourself will give you that confidence boost when it’s time to step out into the social setting.
