{"id":472,"date":"2022-12-29T14:28:30","date_gmt":"2022-12-29T18:28:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/how-to-make-a-good-first-impression-tips-from-charisma-expert\/"},"modified":"2022-12-29T14:28:30","modified_gmt":"2022-12-29T18:28:30","slug":"how-to-make-a-good-first-impression-tips-from-charisma-expert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/how-to-make-a-good-first-impression-tips-from-charisma-expert\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make a Good First Impression: Tips From Charisma Expert"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>It\u2019s true that you can\u2019t read a book by its cover. However, a great cover with a great plot may double up its success, right?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Learning how to make a good first impression can do exactly that \u2014 set you up for success in your future interactions. It\u2019s like getting hyped over an event like Burning Man or Mindvalley University and discovering the wonders on the other side.<\/p>\n<p>So how can you make a good first impression? This is where the expertise of <strong>Vanessa Van Edwards<\/strong>, behavioral investigator and trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s <em>Magnetic Charisma <\/em>Quest, comes in handy. As the founder of Science of People, she\u2019s dedicated to training people on how to develop the best social skills to advance in business, life, and love.<\/p>\n<p>With her research and expertise, here\u2019s where you dive deeper into the topic:<\/p>\n<p>All it takes is learning a few simple skills that will level up the way you interact. From there, you may just find that connecting with people is as easy as said and done.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/6b5ad8a5-good-first-impression-vanessa-van-edwards.jpg\" alt=\"Vanessa Van Edwards on how to make a good first impression\" class=\"wp-image-66033\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/6b5ad8a5-good-first-impression-vanessa-van-edwards.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/6b5ad8a5-good-first-impression-vanessa-van-edwards-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/6b5ad8a5-good-first-impression-vanessa-van-edwards-736x491.jpg 736w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/6b5ad8a5-good-first-impression-vanessa-van-edwards-442x295.jpg 442w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vanessa Van Edwards, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s <em>Magnetic Charisma <\/em>Quest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-make-a-good-first-impression-in-any-situation\">How to Make a Good First Impression in Any Situation<\/h2>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/podcast.mindvalley.com\/how-to-make-a-great-first-impression-virtually-vanessa-van-edwards\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">an episode<\/a> of The Mindvalley Podcast, Vanessa explains there are similar principles to sparking awe online and offline. Here are her tips on how to make an excellent first impression in various situations.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-how-to-make-a-good-first-impression-on-a-date\">How to make a good first impression on a date<\/h3>\n<p>A key component for a wonderful dating experience is connection. And one easy way to ensure that connection will be created is to focus on <strong>oxytocin<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Why? <em>\u201cOxytocin is the chemical feeling of connection,\u201d <\/em>Vanessa explains.<\/p>\n<p>A few ways to prompt the brain to release this feel-good chemical are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Touch. <\/strong>Even on a first date, a light touch on the arm or knee will increase the feeling of connection and create a safe space to open up and be more vulnerable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Eye contact. <\/strong>One of the well-known <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/dating-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dating tips<\/a> is maintaining eye contact with the person you want to feel close to. According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2019.01262\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2019 study<\/a>, eye contact has been shown to increase the level of arousal and openness to bond with the other person.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>We like people who give us a dose of oxytocin because we feel connected, seen, and valued.<\/p>\n<p><cite>\u2014 Vanessa Van Edwards, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s <em>Magnetic Charisma <\/em>Quest<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3 id=\"h-how-to-make-a-good-first-impression-at-work\">How to make a good first impression at work<\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to your work environment, Vanessa highlights a few rules that will enhance a positive impression when you meet someone, either face-to-face or during an online call.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Be aware of spatial boundaries. <\/strong>There are four spatial zones that Vanessa puts emphasis on: the intimate zone, the personal zone, the social zone, and the public zone. It\u2019s essential not to stand too close to someone from the beginning as it might make them feel vulnerable and inappropriate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rather, place yourself in the personal zone, which is ideally one to five feet away from the person you\u2019re interacting with. This also applies to video calls in the sense that sitting too close to the camera might translate unconsciously to the other person as invading their private space. Ideally, you should frame yourself in a call as far as your upper body language can be read.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Be aware of your tone of voice. <\/strong>Being <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/self-awareness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">self-aware<\/a> is essential to making a great first impression. Vanessa advises paying attention to how you sound when you make an important statement. Avoid using question inflections on statements that need to sound convincing; for example, when pitching a new project idea and presenting to the investors what the required funds are.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Gestures are part of <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/effective-communication-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>effective communication<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong>A great percentage of communication is actually nonverbal. This is why your hand gestures and body language are as important as the words you use. Vanessa and her research team found out that one of the things the best TED talks had in common was: the proper use of hand gestures. So the next time you meet someone, make sure that your gestures are active and seem natural.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Focus on how interactive your communication is. <\/strong>When meeting someone for the first time, especially when delivering a presentation, you should focus on how much you engage your audience. Studying 495 speeches on the <em>Shark Tank <\/em>show, Vanessa concluded that the most successful pitchers were the ones who interacted the most with the sharks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"h-how-to-make-a-good-first-impression-with-new-friends\">How to make a good first impression with new friends<\/h3>\n<p>When making new friends, you may be the most relaxed when it comes to having a positive first interaction. Here are a couple of tips to ensure a pleasant connection from the beginning:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Remember people\u2019s names. <\/strong>How do you feel when someone calls you by your name after just introducing yourself one time? Whenever you truly give someone you meet your genuine attention, you can make them feel seen and valued.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Pick a great conversation starter. <\/strong>Instead of asking someone you just met where they are from or what they do professionally, come up with something more creative. You can try these questions instead:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>What personal passion project are you working on?<\/li>\n<li>Have you got anything exciting coming up in your life?<\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s your story?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Setting yourself up for success in future interactions and relationships only requires a few more things to pay attention to. You can apply these principles and see how they improve your first impression when meeting new people.<\/p>\n<p>For more tips and tricks from Vanessa, listen to the full podcast episode:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: How to make a great first impression (virtually) - Vanessa Van Edwards\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/1qmrus6HdFPE0WWzbGzomr?si=afb487e860464335&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-3-reasons-why-good-first-impressions-matter\">3 Reasons Why Good First Impressions Matter<\/h2>\n<p>We all might have met people who we didn\u2019t like in the beginning but completely changed our opinions after spending more time together \u2014 and that\u2019s okay. However, focusing consciously and intentionally on how to make a good first impression can make a huge difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>How you present yourself when you begin any kind of relationship matters. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themantic-education.com\/ibpsych\/2018\/11\/18\/key-study-multi-store-model-the-primacy-and-recency-effects\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The primacy effect<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong>People have a tendency to focus on the first thing they experience in a sequence of events \u2014 it\u2019s a psychological effect. That means they will remember the first interaction with another person more vividly than the ones that follow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>People determine your qualities. <\/strong><em>\u201cYou don\u2019t get a second chance to make a first impression,\u201d<\/em> says James Uleman, a psychology professor at New York University and researcher on impression management. <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/j.1467-9280.2006.01750.x?ssource=mfc&amp;rss=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Studies<\/a> have found that people made up their minds on whether they thought someone was trustworthy, competent, charismatic, or likable from the first 100 milliseconds they met.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>95% of people believe first impressions are important. <\/strong>At the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scienceofpeople.com\/first-impressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Science of People Research Lab<\/a>, statistics show that 95% of people believe in the first opinion they formed after meeting someone for the first time. So most people will pay attention to the first impression they get on someone they have just met, be it professionally, romantically, or in social situations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The truth is that you may change your opinion of someone, or they might change their opinion of you. But adding that extra care and attention to how you present yourself will only bring more positive results and powerful connections.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1098\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/04f3b433-good-first-impression-pexels-mizuno-k.jpg\" alt=\"How to make a good first impression online\" class=\"wp-image-66035\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/04f3b433-good-first-impression-pexels-mizuno-k.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/04f3b433-good-first-impression-pexels-mizuno-k-768x703.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-recover-from-a-bad-first-impression\">How to Recover From a Bad First Impression<\/h2>\n<p>Vanessa shares with you that she is a <em>\u201crecovering awkward person.\u201d <\/em>One strategy for bouncing back from a bad first impression she recommends is working on your charisma, which will only enhance your future magnetism to the people you want to impress.<\/p>\n<p>Here are three ways you can start:<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-1-surround-yourself-with-the-right-people-and-situations\">1. Surround yourself with the right people and situations<\/h3>\n<p>Vanessa highlights that recovering from a bad first impression is sometimes also a matter of realizing that you need to put yourself into situations that make you thrive.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Wasting your charismatic energy on people who are toxic or that just don\u2019t resonate with you won\u2019t make your life flourish in any way, shape, or form.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, a profound epiphany that you should strive to make a good impression, but only to those that truly matter, will create some healthy boundaries. And from there, you can consciously redirect your energy to where and who is actually adding value to your life.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-2-consider-people-s-personality-types\">2. Consider people\u2019s personality types<\/h3>\n<p>Maybe you\u2019ve made a bad impression on someone you\u2019d really love to have in your life. In this case, a little more awareness of the situation may come into help.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Vanessa advises you to consider whether people are high or low in openness.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>People who are high in openness are explorers. They love experimenting and going on adventures. Surprise them with new things to try.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>People who are low in openness are preservers. They love predictability, routine, and tradition. Avoid too many surprises.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So if you\u2019ve made a bad first impression but still trying to connect, learn more about who they are and adapt your interaction with them.<\/p>\n<p>You can do the same thing regarding all the other big five personality traits: <strong>openness<\/strong>, <strong>conscientiousness<\/strong>, <strong>neuroticism<\/strong>, <strong>extroversion<\/strong>, and <strong>agreeableness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-3-change-your-narrative\">3. Change your narrative<\/h3>\n<p>Make sure you don\u2019t unconsciously only focus on the negative. That\u2019s a huge part of nurturing your charisma and ensuring future positive experiences with other people.<\/p>\n<p>Watching how you express yourself, especially with new people, may be key to presenting yourself as the most likable version of who you are. Do you often point out small things that you don\u2019t like about your environment? Things like <em>\u201cit\u2019s so cold in here,\u201d \u201cthe music is so loud,\u201d<\/em> or <em>\u201cit\u2019s so difficult to understand.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Even if they are small things that don\u2019t purposely matter so much, people will naturally be more drawn to those who give out positive energy. And if you focus on creating more positive energy within yourself, you might be surprised about how much the impression you\u2019ve made on someone can change.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/decfa687-good-first-impression-pexels-mart-production.jpg\" alt=\"Good first impression\" class=\"wp-image-66036\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/decfa687-good-first-impression-pexels-mart-production.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/decfa687-good-first-impression-pexels-mart-production-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/decfa687-good-first-impression-pexels-mart-production-736x491.jpg 736w, https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/decfa687-good-first-impression-pexels-mart-production-442x295.jpg 442w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-make-an-impression-start-with-yourself\">Make an Impression, Start With Yourself<\/h2>\n<p>Making a great first impression and becoming your most charismatic self is not as difficult as it may seem to be. But a little guidance along the way has never hurt anybody.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s where Mindvalley comes into play. With the guidance and expertise of Vanessa Van Edwards in the <strong><em>Magnetic Charisma<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>Quest, you can discover:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The fastest way to master the skill of charisma<\/li>\n<li>Where charisma really comes from<\/li>\n<li>What really makes a person memorable<\/li>\n<li>How to create instant and meaningful empathy<\/li>\n<li>How to influence others with respect and reverence<\/li>\n<li>The scientific keys to overcoming social and public speaking anxiety<\/li>\n<li>How to build great networks and relationships<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindvalley.com\/signup\/?utm_source=blog_inline_link&amp;utm_campaign=evergreen_freemium&amp;utm_medium=end_of_article&amp;otag=mv_blog_freemium\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>claiming your free access<\/strong><\/a> today, you can sample out trial classes from this program and many others. The best thing about it all is that you don\u2019t have to do it alone. You can be part of a loving community of people who share the same hopes and struggles along the way.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t be afraid to take the first step. Your best self is waiting for you.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s true that you can\u2019t read a book by its cover. However, a great cover with a great plot may double up its success, right?\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":473,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-happiness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}