Be it a crowded event, a job interview or a party, you always have the opportunity to meet new people. There are names to remember, handshakes, and conversations to start with.
Either way, the first meeting is important because it leaves an impression in someone’s mind about whether you’re someone they want to spend time with and build a relationship with. Here are the experts’ summaries of the mistakes we often make when meeting new people.
1. Avoid eye contact
In the early days of meeting, we can feel tense and choose to look away instead of the person in front of us. My advice is to try to breathe deeply and make eye contact as often as possible.
According to experts, eye contact gives a feeling of confidence and trustworthiness, while avoiding eye contact often speaks of insecurity and anxiety. When you maintain eye contact, you’re sending the message that you really care about what the other person is saying.
2. Weak handshake
The handshake is one of the first things people use to form an impression of each other. Shaking hands that are too strong or too weak can cause discomfort. Take the other person’s hand quickly, gently move 1-2 times and then let go. Don’t forget to keep your hands dry and warm instead of sweaty or cold.
3. Don’t mention other people’s names
When we have to meet many new people every day, it is understandable to forget someone’s name. However, don’t just ignore their names because of that. Simply admit that you’ve forgotten and repeat their name a few times later in the conversation to make it easier to remember. We all love being called by others. Regardless of the language, a person’s name is always the most pleasant sound to that person.
4. Hold on to your phone
We all need to use our phones from time to time, but keeping them in hand while having lunch with others, leaving the phone under the desk and texting while in a meeting is not advisable. Unfortunately, this is a habit of many people, using the phone to help calm their spirits.
To make a good first impression, don’t hold your phone in your hand because it’s easy to make the other person understand that you don’t value them or their time.
5. Sharing too much information
When we meet someone interesting, it’s easy to want to share a lot about our lives, from traffic jams this morning to how our children go to school. However, this is something that should be avoided to make a good impression in the first meeting.
An initial meeting should include as little personal information as possible. Keep your conversations short and fun. Especially in a business setting, sharing too much personal information can be unprofessional.
6. Wait for your turn to speak
Just waiting for your turn to speak is like saying you’re not really listening. This is also a mistake to avoid in the first meeting.
A great way to help you make a good first impression is to really engage in the conversation. Listen to what the person in front of you is saying, repeat some of their words to let them know you’ve listened, and ask them relevant questions. This will encourage them to keep sharing more. We all want to be heard.
7. Don’t Use Body Language
When we meet someone new, we all want to be as friendly as possible. Remember to use your body language and be more open, remove barriers. Get rid of your sunglasses and gloves or anything else that might get in the way of you making new connections. If you are sitting, you can stand up to introduce yourself. These moves will show others that you’re happy to see them and want to get to know them.
8. Nothing to say
If you are a person who often attends meetings and parties, here are a few ways to start a story to help you get out of awkward moments of silence when interacting with others.
In case you can’t think of anything, the best way to fix it is to ask a question for the person to share about themselves. Most of us like to talk about what we know a lot about. Don’t forget to listen attentively, maintain eye contact and strong handshakes.
9. Leaving the conversation too soon
You don’t have to spend your evening with one person, but don’t leave too quickly. Especially at certain dinner parties or networking events, remember that the best possible connections are right in front of you.
10. Forgot to exchange contact information
If you’re trying to build a better network, you’ll need to stay connected. The best way to do that is to exchange contact information. We never know where a connection may lead us and that’s why be prepared with business cards or quickly save a phone number or other means of contact. These little things will help you make a good first impression on people.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: Eva.vn – Read the original article here
