In the time it takes you to read this, you could have made a bad first impression on someone. Studies have found that we made a positive or negative decision in about ten seconds.

Meeting someone new can feel a bit like a blind date. It’s critical to build an immediate sense of trust and rapport in order to be remembered well. And don’t you want to be one of those people who others have a good feeling about, even if they can’t be sure why they feel that way? It’s a skill that can serve you well on the job, on a date, or in a sales situation.

Here are some quick tips for making yourself memorable:

Enthusiasm is contagious

Have you ever met anyone who didn’t like feeling they were the most important person in the room? Imagine how you would act if you were meeting your favorite movie star. Take that enthusiasm and focus it on your subject. There’s a good chance the other person will pick up your energy and bounce it back at you.

It’s very important to clear negative thoughts from your mind. You may have just received some disappointing news or criticism from the boss. You need to put those thoughts into a mental drawer and deal with them later. Negative thoughts will impact your posture and tone. Even if your words are positive, you’ll be sending a mixed message with your body that people will notice.

Focus, focus, and focus some more

When talking to someone new, just focus on he or she. Good eye contact is priceless and a wandering eye tells someone that you’re not interested. Even if someone is dull, give him or her your total focus. At worst, you’ll impress a dull person and you never know how that could help you at a later time. Of course, you can widen your focus if your subject is standing next to a spouse or a friend. In these cases you don’t want to freeze anyone out of a discussion.

People have a need to be heard. Play into that need by giving the other person the gift of your attention.

Nothing good comes from bad breath

Have you ever been uncomfortably close to someone who has bad breath? Did that change your opinion of the person? Keep some mints on hand because you never know whom you might meet. I’ve never heard a complaint about someone’s breath smelling too clean!

After a meal, get in the habit of rising out your mouth with some water. Check your teeth for anything distracting like spinach.

Give yourself a hand

In our culture, when you meet someone you shake hands. Before shaking, make sure that your hand is not sweaty. A quick pre-shake wipe can get rid of any nervous moisture. Just do it discreetly. Don’t worry, a little hand sweat is just a sign that you’re human.

Give a firm grasp but don’t try to crush the other person’s paw. I’d advise against a two handed shake on the first meeting as it may make you appear overeager.

Resist the urge to dance but move a little

When talking to someone, you may want to move in a little closer. This is a subtle move and you don’t want to make the other person think that you’re invading his or her body space. But if done correctly, a move or a lean will show interest.

This is similar to the feeling that you get when you’re on the edge of your seat during a movie.

Assume nothing

Misunderstandings can be costly. Just because someone is standing next to the receptionist’s desk doesn’t mean they’re the receptionist. That person could be the CEO. It’s so much better to introduce yourself first and wait for the other person to fill in the blanks. This is something that happens naturally.

Become known as a person who gives your full attention and respect to anyone in an organization. In so many cases, those whom others may consider, “beneath them,” can make your life on the job so much easier. The person who is disrespectful to administrative assistants, IT professionals, and entry level employees, rarely receives fast service when they need help.

###

Copyright 2006 Ken Okel

Ken Okel helps people and organizations get around the obstacles that are blocking the path to success.

If you want to get better results, subscribe to his free, biweekly newsletter at www.kenokel.com

You will also receive his special report, 7 Communication Mistakes that are Costing You Money, and have a chance to watch clips from his presentations.

Ken is available to speak to your organization. Call him at (561) 737-4321 or email TVGuy@kenokel.com to reserve your program date or to find out more.