It is said that first impression is the last impression. The way you smile, give a firm handshake and maintain an eye contact, all together makes up for a good first impression. There are no second chances to better your first impression and hence, it is important that you communicate in fluent English with confidence. If you fumble for words or use inappropriate words, you can tarnish your first impression. Let’s look at some tips that can help you can make a good and lasting first impression.
Expert tips to impress all!
The most important aspects to pay attention on include:
Courteous greetings:
Be courteous as you greet somebody for the first time. You can use phrases, such as:
Hi, how are you?
It’s nice to meet you.
How do you do?
Speak with confidence and wear a warm smile as you communicate. You can also use an informal expression, such as – hey, what have you been up to, to sound more natural.
Make small talks
Now that you have greeted the other person, it’s time to break the ice with small talks. If you are in a business meet, you could use a phrase, such as – ‘how’s business?’ If it’s a personal get together, you can ask the acquaintance something like, ‘so, what do you do?’ Don’t let the initial greeting turn into awkward silence and follow up with some general questions. The idea is to let the other person speak while you can lend your ear and be a good listener. You can continue with questions, such as:
Where are you from?
Did you catch the cricket match last night?
What do you think of this place/ the music/the ambience?
Is your family traveling with you?
Take a complimentary approach
Now that you know the other person, find ways to compliment him/her. You can say things like, ‘I have heard about your work, you are really doing great.’ Or if you are in a party, you can complement the other person’s style sense, ‘That’s a nice dress you are wearing’. We all love compliments as they make us feel good about ourselves, why not use them for a good first impression.
End with a kind goodbye
If your meeting is business oriented, you should ensure that your acquaintance enjoyed your company and would look up to you for a future relation. Therefore, extend a kind goodbye. You can use phrases, such as:
“It was nice meeting you, catch you later.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.”
“It was a pleasure meeting you.”
As you extend a kind goodbye, remember to wear your smile, maintain eye contact and speak with confidence.
Conclusion:
Speaking English with confidence comes with practice and if you want to make a first good impression, you need to practice before you meet the acquaintance. Hope the above tips will help you speak English fluently. For more practice, you can join our online spoken English class.
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- By Chander Madan
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