Win Life with Body Language and Dress Code Part 1

How to Influence Others with Your Body Language and Dressing

Within 5 - 7 seconds of meeting you for the first time, people make the decision to like or not like you.

Hasn't it ever happened to you? For example, you meet someone for the first time and it’s instant dislike. You tell your friends, “I don’t know why but I just don’t like him!”

 Apart from noticing your gender, race, height, weight and general attractiveness, one other thing people can tell about you in about five to thirty seconds is whether you’re confident or not.

Most people appreciate and are drawn to confidence. Who doesn't like a confident, self-assured person? Take note, I’m not talking about a bossy, arrogant loudmouth. I’m referring to someone who has that inner air of assuredness. Someone who believes in him or herself. People who don’t need anyone’s approval and permission to fight for the goals they believe in.

As I mentioned earlier, we are attracted to confidence. But, not only are we attracted, we’re also influenced by confidence.

For example, by acting and looking confident, you can make others like you. You can even make others trust you.

So, remember this truth: people are influenced by what they see. Or, in a much larger sense, people are influenced by what they perceive. Perceive because your smell too can either draw others to you or chase them away forever.

At every moment, especially when you’re meeting someone for the first time, remember that you’re giving off a vibe.

Go/No-Go. Red/Yellow/Green.

You are communicating something to the other person, whether you’re doing it deliberately or accidentally.

When you’re talking with someone, for example, you are communicating verbally and, at the same time, non-verbally.

About 55 - 60% of human communication is non-verbal.

What is non-verbal communication? It’s a way of communicating with someone else without words. For example, you can communicate with others through your body language.

Others ways you can communicate non-verbally:

§  Dress code

§  Facial expressions

§  Hairstyles

§  Smells

Let’s say, for whatever reason, you want someone else to like you. You also want to appear confident to that someone else.

You want to influence the way that that someone else sees or perceives you.

Aside from telling the person directly, “See, I want you to like me. I want you to trust me,” how do you get the result you desire?

Two things…

Your body language and your clothing (the non-verbal part of your communication)

One important aspect of body language is eye contact.

Looking into someone else’s eyes about 60 - 70% of the time builds a strong rapport with the person. But you have to be careful with how you use eye contact. Your gaze should move between the other person’s eyes and mouth. Not past the face and definitely not down to the body!

The length of time you gaze at the other person’s face is also important. Eye contact should not be too long; otherwise it would seem you’re staring. On the other hand, it shouldn’t be too short; otherwise you would look unreliable and untrustworthy.