How to make a strong first impression

Speaking
Written By Liam Sandford
making a first impression

First impressions are an important aspect of life. People make snap judgements, and it can either set you up for success or create a negative perception of you. When it comes to speaking, you may have a short period of time to present, and so making a great impression from the first few seconds is an absolute must.

Let’s take Tony Robbins for example. He walks onto stage with his arms in the air, music blaring, riling up the crowd for a day of excitement. If you have been to one of his events or have watched his Netflix documentary ‘I Am Not Your Guru’, you will know the power of this approach.

This is a great example of first impressions for public speaking, but it does not necessarily fit every setting. I can’t imagine if it would go down well before presenting at a board meeting. There are, however, some things you can do that work in all cases.

Make people feel good

It’s why the Tony Robbins approach works so well — it inspires, it motivates, it makes people feel good. People remember how you make them feel. If it starts off with a great feeling you leave a lasting impression that is hard to beat. The best way to do that without a big song and dance is to smile. Simple yet effective.

A smile is the greatest asset to make a first impression. It is welcoming and makes people gravitate towards you. It is so simple, yet most people overlook its power. If there are not many people in your audience, for example in a work meeting, add a slight pause and look at someone before smiling. Pause only for a split second. It makes someone feel like you are genuinely happy to see them.

Smiling makes people feel good. It is something people associate with having a good time or being happy. It should be how you start off the interaction, as if you are excited to be there. Whether in person or virtual this will go a long way to make a good first impression.

Show you are confident

Your own confidence is important to show you know what you are doing. The perception when you shrink, speak fast, or show you are uncomfortable is that you don’t know what you are doing. That’s not true, but it is the perception. Audience perception is their reality. You can show you are confident with your body language:

  • Stand tall — Bring your biggest self to the table. This is power posing in action — the more surface area you cover the more confident you will feel. The more confident you feel, the more your audience believes in what you are saying.

  • Stand still — Stay routed to the spot, as if to say, ‘I am comfortable here and I am not going anywhere. You have my full attention.’ Stillness signals calmness. Fast paced moving signals a racing and chaotic mind — calm is better for speaking.

  • Point your feet at the audience — The direction of your feet says a lot about where your attention is. Have them facing the audience to ensure they feel your attention is all on them.

Even if you don’t feel confident, good body language will give your audience confidence in you.

Make it personal

Give your audience a reason to be invested. Your opening is your opportunity to do that. Most open with an agenda and ruin the opportunity to make it personal. Instead, open with a story most people will resonate with. Trigger an emotion and capture them in your story. If they resonate, or they can see themselves in your story they will be listening intently to hear what you have to say.

Double down on the personal connection with eye contact. If you have a large room, select three people spread across the room and look at them. The feeling of eye contact will spread throughout your audience, and this will help build connection. You will show consistency in looking across the whole room, without needing to look at everyone individually.

Essentially, show the audience you have their undivided attention. You are present as the speaker and you want to be there. Topped with storytelling and forming positive connections with the audience, making it personal is the skill most speakers (in particular in the corporate world) forget.

Actionable takeaways

  • Make people feel good when you first start your presentation. It sets you up to have their undivided attention. Use smiling to your advantage.

  • Show you are confident. Practice your body language to ensure you are showing confidence to your audience. You want to make sure they believe in what you are saying.

  • Make it personal. This is where connection is formed, and the best way to do this is with powerful storytelling.

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Liam Sandford
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