How many times have you heard the expression, You never get a second chance at a first impression?" This is true whether you like it or not. From the moment a person first meets you, they form strong assumptions based solely on the way you look and present yourself. I realize that this negates all of those wonderful things you have going for you on the inside. But the reality is, my friend, a person meets the outside first THEN the inside... In my experience, when a person first meets you, you will be slotted into one of three categories: 1) Your impression is average (this is probably most of you). People will not form a strong impression of you. There is potential for you to be forgotten and fade into the crowd of everyone else. However, you are deemed suitable for continued interaction. Hopefully you can make up for lost ground in the long-run. 2) You make a negative impression. The person who you have just met decides to keep communication with you at a minimum. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to build a relationship with this person. 3) You make strong first impression. Wherever you go, people take notice. You are admired and looked upon as a valuable contact. At this point, people will work for your attention. Stop. Imagine walking into a room and meeting yourself for the first time. Which category would you put yourself into? If you're not in that third category, you're not doing enough. Why shortchange yourself? We consistently meet guys who have great personalities and have a lot going for them. These guys have a lot to offer women, but they simply have no idea how to present that in a powerful, attractive way. Mastering this would instantly help them feel better about themselves, and would fill them with confidence...dramatically increasing their likelihood of success! First impressions are basically formed through three basic channels, they are: clothing, body language, and vocal tonality. Do you want to make good first impressions? Do you want women to notice you, approach you, and even chase you? Want to have a successful career and social life? If so, then pay attention to these three things... and own the power of your first impression! The good news is that these three qualities are easily improved and you can start working on them immediately. The first thing to get a hold of is your style of dress and grooming. This is one area where you can really hit the cover off the ball. Take a look at my 25 points. Here I fully cover the basics for getting this area solved. 25 Points of Great Grooming and Style 1) Notice how long it takes women to get ready, consider how much time they spend on looking good for you. How long do you spend getting ready to go out? 15 min, maybe? Take some extra time and really put some effort into looking good, people will take notice. 2) Pick and choose which trends to follow. You don't want to be too trendy or else you'll end up looking like a fashion victim, however you should be on top of what's current and new so that you can be selective with incorporating certain trends into your look. 3) Go to a department store and test out at least a dozen colognes. Instead of spraying them on tester paper, which won't give you a good idea of how they really smell on your skin, ask for samples... most guys don't know that they will give you free samples; take them home and try them out. Pick the one that suits you best. 4) Get at least one expensive haircut. The stylist will cut your hair according to the bone structure of your face, accentuating your best features. Remember the style so that it can be duplicated later on buy a less expensive place. 5) If you wear a sport coat or suit, pay close attention to how long the sleeves are; there should always be a half inch of shirt sticking out from under the cuff. This is a $10 alteration that could make your suit look custom made. 6) Make sure that all your clothes work with each other; try to have a common theme throughout. You don't want to look like an urban cowboy one day and a DJ the next. 7) Go to a tailor today and have him take your correct measurements - put this on the back of a business card, and carry with you everywhere, it will come in handy when buying clothes, especially over the internet. 8) Work on building all parts of your wardrobe; make sure that you spend as much effort dressing casually as you do formally. 9) Keep you eyebrows in control, absolutely no unibrows, and if they are too bushy get them thinned out. Go to a salon if you have to. 10) Buy grooming products that are specific to you. Moisturizer if you have dry skin, deep cleaning shampoo if you have oily hair, etc... 11) No nose hairs ever. Trim these daily if necessary - this is an absolute MUST...second in importance only to having good breath. 12) Always make sure your belt and shoes match. If they are both leather, they must match up. Have at least one brown belt and one black. This is one of the indisputable rules in dressing for men. 13) Try layering up your clothing. Take a look at fashion ads and notice how the models are always wearing two or more layers. The more layers you wear, the more put together and sophisticated you will look. Wear up to 4 layers, with a tie or scarf counting as one layer. 14) Buy a pair of well made shoes and make sure you don't skimp in this area. A great pair will last you for at least 5 years. In the long run you will actually save money because you won't have to replace them every 6 months. Keep them well polished at all times. 15) Buy at least one sport coat in a versatile color such as charcoal or navy; better yet get one custom made. There are endless combinations you can do with this item. You can dress it down with a pair of jeans or dress it up with a pair of slacks and tie. 16) Buy at least one suit that you'd never be able to wear to work, something cool and stylish. Maybe it has a colorful pinstripe or is made out of a more casual fabric. You want at least one of these to wear out on the town and at parties. This will really make you stand out as being well dressed. 17) Try dressing down items that are more formal. Pair a luxurious fabric like velvet with well-worn denim. The contrasting pieces will create an intriguing look. 18) Fill your wardrobe with high quality classics items that won't go out of style. For example, a leather jacket, a navy blazer, and a pair of good quality jeans. 19) The only jewelry a man should have is a nice watch and perhaps a wedding ring when the time is right. We're against the whole earrings on men thing unless you are in a band...Also, avoid gold and diamonds or you'll end up looking like a rapper - unless, of course, you ARE a rapper. 20) Avoid wearing black dress shoes. It's not that we have anything against black shoes, it's just that they always look better in a darker brown color; they are more stylish too. For the ultimate, try Cordovan (horsehide) leather shoes. They have a deep, rich color that only gets better with age. Cordovan leather was originally used to make army boots because it is so indestructible. 21) If you're a khakis kind of guy, go out and buy some jeans; you need to mix it up and go for something more casual. Likewise, if you're a jeans guy, go out and buy some dressier pants, perhaps a pair of corduroys or chinos. 22) Manicure - 1 x per week (do it yourself); for both toenails and fingernails - be sure your fingernails are clean and trimmed at all times. A woman will look at your nails before she looks at what brand your watch is. 23) Invest in a classic tuxedo that will never go out of style. Make sure it has peaked lapels and is one or two button. You will stand out from the crowd of guys who rent. Renting is a waste of money in the long run. 24) Always make sure you have good breath. A great way to make sure of this is to buy a tongue scraper and always wash with antiseptic mouthwash. Nothing is a bigger turn-off than bad breath. 25) Last but not least, never talk about how much effort you put into shopping, grooming, looking good, etc. Make it appear as if you do all of this effortlessly, be almost secretive about it. Brush off compliments with... oh how nice of you to notice..." The second is body language. What does yours communicate about you? Do you project power and confidence? Why not? Keep your head held high, looking people in the eye at all times. Always hold your gaze a second longer if you happen to make eye contact. Never look down and away if someone addresses you or is the slightest bit intimidating. This is a sign of weakness. Pay attention to this, and eliminate this negative habit. Can you even picture someone as dominant as Arnold Schwarzenegger or JFK doing this? Not in a million years! Another trait men like this have in common is all their movement is deliberate and confident. You'd never see a powerful CEO making erratic gestures like biting his nails, fidgeting, or using broad hand movements to articulate his speech. Stay calm, cool, and collected. Avoid doing these things: always placing your hands in your pockets, constantly fixing your hair, tugging at your collar, checking your watch every minute, and scratching. Be precise as a lab scientist when using body language. Lastly, your voice. Do you stutter in situations where there is the slightest bit of pressure? Or do you project a manly, confident tone delivered slowly and smoothly. A weak voice is a certain sign of low self-esteem. Speak up and make yourself heard! When making a first impression, remember to smile. This helps your vibe become friendly, confident and approachable. People are more likely to want to talk to you if they sense they will be received well. Michael Cross Cutting Edge Image Consulting With the combination of improving these three small areas, you will be well on your way to success.
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