Dotty Scott covers the basics of making a good first impression: eye contact, smiling, open body language, and keeping your hands visible. Avoid off-color jokes and foul language. Approach people who are alone, and adopt a host mindset to introduce others at events.
Is there any tried and true methods to just make sure that you make the perfect first impression?
Okay, yes. Um, when you're talking to someone, don't look away. And, and actually, I have a whole lot to do before I even talk to someone. I, um, I, I think that making eye contact Having— well, I'm not going to do a handshake now, but making proper eye contact. Face people with a smile. That openness. Keep your hands in front of you. Don't hide your hands because people will think you have something to hide. Don't put your hands on your hip. Don't tell off-color jokes. Don't use foul language. Those are all the do-nots. Look, I remember making a friend because I went to someone who was sitting alone and I saw that she was sitting alone and I just walked over to her and I just said, I hope I'm not intruding, but you're sitting alone. Are you waiting for someone or may I join you? And she said, oh no, this is my first time and I just don't know how to meet people. I started laughing as though you've come to the perfect person. I'm going to— after I get to know you a little, I'm going to take you around and introduce you to some people that I think you might like to know. So I, when I go to an event, I, I pretend I'm the host because I can get away with anything if I'm the host. And I can, because that's what, that's what the host and hostess does. It's really important.
And that also puts you in the authoritative position, so to speak, so that people are going to remember you
