How to make a good impression at an event with a lot of strangers

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A conference, seminar or forum is a crowd of strangers. Here's how to communicate with them without sacrificing personal space.

Change Behavior to Change Attitude

It is believed that it is impossible to make a good impression if you treat yourself negatively. So millions of people on the planet are doomed to make disgusting first impressions due to low self-esteem? Not if they resort to one trick. If you change your behavior, so will your attitude. In other words, if you pretend that you are not afraid, the fear will actually go away.

Start smiling and you will gradually feel the confidence build up.

Don't strive for the ideal. You don't have to be a charismatic leader or the life of a party to communicate and feel the joy of communication. The ideal is the enemy of the good.

Dress comfortably, but according to the situation

The desire to stand out with an unusual appearance or, conversely, not to change yourself and your favorite sweater with deer can ruin the first impression. If you decide to join the masses and make acquaintances, try dressing like everyone else. An informal outfit or cozy stretched sweatshirts at an IT conference will attract the public's attention, but they will not do you good. Leave your favorite look for the afterparty.

Don't force yourself to love people

A common psychological misconception is that in order to make a good first impression, you need to be positive about others. But most of them have a negative experience of interaction with Homo sapiens. “The more I know people, the more I love dogs” - a good half of the world's inhabitants are ready to subscribe to this phrase.

Don't force yourself to truly love others. To make a good impression, it is enough to be positive about who you are communicating with at the moment. This does not imply hot hugs and long handshakes. Imagine that you are playing the role of a person who likes these people.

Don't start the conversation first if you don't want to

Another standard tip is to start the conversation first. But if this is difficult for you, forget it. Just show openness: there is a slight smile on your lips, the body is in a relaxed (but not cheeky) position, a benevolent look. Non-verbal signs will show others that you are ready to talk.

Non-verbal communication tips:

• Stand or sit, leaning slightly towards the other person.
• Mirror speech speed and posture.
• Touch the other person's elbow at the right moment. American psychologist and author of the book "First Impression" Ann Demarais suggests touching a person's elbow while pointing at something.

If another person starts the conversation, not you, then the principle of commitment is triggered and the initiator of the conversation subconsciously feels the need to “invest” in dialogue and acquaintance.

Let the other person know that they are important and valuable

An easy way to please another person is to show them how important they are. And this is not only flattery and praise. It is usually advised to demonstrate your strengths when meeting. Try it differently: don't show off.

The more modest you look against the background of others, the better others feel and the better they begin to relate to you.

Many people in a conversation want to immediately show their knowledge and experience. But to start a conversation, another option is suitable: ask the interlocutor's opinion on some issue and do not overwhelm with your knowledge. Just do not overdo it: no one likes humiliation and groveling.

Look for like-minded people

Finding out if a person is your like-minded person is simple. Start by asking subtle questions about work or the political situation in the country. Did the answer resonate in your soul? Continue communication. If not, change the subject or the interlocutor. Do not try to convince the person - this will ruin the first impression of you.

Practice more often

It's not just formal events that make an impression. Train your communication skills by talking to people more often in different places.

Practical minimum. Where to begin?

Listen and pay attention to the emotional message of the interlocutor. It is advisable to refer to people by name, but not too often. You can start a conversation with a remark on a general topic - about the event, speakers, participants, and so on. End it with a question, for example: “This is my first time at such a large-scale conference. Do you know who the organizer is?"

Listen carefully to the answer. If there were no questions addressed to you, tell us briefly about yourself (no more than 30 seconds). Or ask a question that is supposed to be answered personally by the interlocutor. For example: "Where are you from?" You can ask something about the job. After exchanging a couple of replicas, you can proceed to communicate with other people.