First impression... how to make an impact in 7 seconds

No matter what our lifestyle or profession is, our image does matter.

It's said, seven seconds is all it takes to make a lasting first impression. Well, seven minutes may just be too much. We evaluate a person within the first seven seconds of meeting him or her. But there's no hard and fast rule here.
We live in a world in which we interact with many people on a daily basis. The moment we meet people, we make certain judgements about them, based purely on the way they look and behave. That is called 'First Impression', an impression we create in the mind of the person we are meeting for the first time. In the initial split seconds of contact, we assess their appearance and decide in our minds if s/he is friend or foe. But it doesn't stop there! We go on to make an evaluation about their character, temperament, intellect and professional abilities. We decide if they are worthy of our precious time and if they are equal to us socially and intellectually.
There seems to be very little doubt that our appearance sends a message. Whether we like it or not, we are making profound value judgement from very superficial evidence. Our choice in clothing, accessories, hairstyle and grooming will have an impact on how others perceive us.
No matter what our lifestyle or profession is, our image does matter.
In the pyramid of success, our education and domain knowledge gets us through the door. But, for our growth and to climb the ladder of success, other factors like social finesse, grooming, body language, communication skills, business, social etiquette and, most importantly, emotional quotient and relationship-building skills, set us apart. People deal with people, and that's how friendships are forged. The moment you enter a room, the handshake or the conversation you strike tell a lot about you. We all face diverse situations. But how you conduct yourself in these situations decides whether you are a success or a failure. Be it an interview, a presentation or your first date, the impression you make will decide your fate. Mind you, there are others in the race, too, equally willing and talented.
When you meet someone for the first time, visual impact - the way you dress, grooming and the way you carry yourself - constitutes 55 per cent of the impression you create, followed by body language, confidence, communication skills and voice modulation (38 per cent), and content or the key matter (seven per cent).
Now suppose you are on a call with someone for the first time, you lose out on 55 per cent of the visual impact. Then communication skills and voice modulation become the first impression. Similarly, if you are introduced over an email or pitching your services to a potential client, the way the mail is written becomes the first impression
A simple example for first impression would be a well-packed and ribboned gift versus the one wrapped in a newspaper.
A person without grooming is equivalent to a product without packaging: both have no appeal.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com
Konkona Bakshi, Founder, Savoir Faire Academie and former Miss Elegance World