The Business Networking Tips - The First Seven Seconds: Making the Best First Impression - Seven Ways to Sabotage a First Impression

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We don't try to do it. But we do. We completely muck up a first meeting. Here are seven things many people do that can sabotage a first impression:

1. Using Sloppy or Lazy Language Avoid using words and phrases like "anyways," "you guys," "okey dokey," "alrighty then," "whole 'nother thing," and the like. If you use these phrases, you come across as less intelligent. You also send a message that you don't care enough about the conversation or the interaction to use grammatically correct language.
2. Hiding Your Hands We talked about this earlier. Having your hands in your pockets or behind your back sends a message that you can't be trusted.
3. Being Late for a Meeting Once again, you've sent the message that you don't care -- and that you're not a dependable person. It also may be perceived as an attempt to show your authority or as indicative of a low work ethic.
4. Being Too Early If you arrive more than 10-to-15 minutes early for a meeting, you're breaching the other person's privacy, and therefore are not an agreeable person. Being too early also makes you come off as too eager and lacking in confidence.
5. Throat Clearing When you clear your throat, people think you're either trying to stall, interrupt, or establish your importance. Anyone who is perceived this way will also be perceived as a less-than-agreeable person to do business with. If you must clear your throat, excuse yourself and do so elsewhere.
6. Lack of Enthusiasm If you're not energetic, people will either think you have no confidence, don't care, or are arrogant. No matter which, you lose.
7. Answering the Cell Phone In networking, this is the equivalent of call waiting. Have you ever been on the phone with a friend or relative who has call waiting and puts you on hold by saying, "Oh, I have another call?" Well, when you answer a cell phone during a networking or business meeting, you're sending the same message: "This other person, even though I don't know who they are yet, is more important than you." Cell phones should be off during networking and business meetings. When you answer a call during a business meeting, you are telling the other person, "Look how important I am." Unfortunately the other person is thinking, "Look how full of himself he is!" If you really are expecting an important call, then call in to your office between networking conversations. The only possible exception I can think is a doctor, who may receive truly life-and-death emergency calls from patients. Even so, doctors usually carry pagers, which are less rude than cell phones. At least with pagers, you have an opportunity to finish your conversation before excusing yourself to make a call.