Most people don’t realize that others form an impression of them within the first 7 seconds of meeting them.
7 seconds.
Before you explain your personality, your intelligence, your ambitions, or your achievements, people have already made assumptions about you.
On top of that, 93% of our communication is non-verbal, so your body language and voice can speak before you ever say a word.
At first, this may sound unfair.
But here’s the thing: it can actually work in your favor.
It is because you only need to succeed in making a good impression within those few seconds!
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Imagine if you had to maintain a perfect impression for an entire hour. That would feel exhausting!
Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time studying etiquette, elegance, and social behavior. Living in Switzerland, I also regularly observe how truly elegant and wealthy people carry themselves in everyday life — and it is rarely loud or performative.
So today, I want to share eight etiquette-based habits that can help you make an elegant, refined and memorable first impression — regardless of the circumstances.
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1. Never Turn Your Back When Entering the Room
Would you ever think that there are etiquette rules for how to enter a room elegantly? It seems like such a trivial task.
But here’s the thing: even the way you enter a room contributes to the impression you make.
There should be a fine balance between appearing confident and approachable, but not snobbish or narcissistic. On the other hand, we don’t necessarily want to look timid or out of place.
So, how do you enter a room correctly?
Open the door with your right hand, step gracefully into the room, and close the door with your left hand. This ensures that you are always facing the people inside the room.
Never turn your back to the guests in the room.
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But get this: there’s another detail people notice almost immediately when you enter a room—and it has nothing to do with the way you open the door.
We’ll get to that in point 2.
2. Maintain a Friendly and Open Facial Expression
When people meet you for the first time, they are quick to observe your face. But what exactly are they looking at?
Your eyes and your mouth.
And here’s the thing: if you want to make a great first impression, those parts of your face should appear open and welcoming.
This means that your mouth should be curved into a beautiful smile, and your eyes should be open and engaged, looking into the other person’s eyes. This creates an impression of friendliness, openness, and that you are inviting others to approach you safely.
If your eyes are narrowed or you are frowning, people will usually be less inclined to approach you, or they may approach you with hesitation. That is not what we want!
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But there’s another subtle detail that can completely change the impression your facial expression creates—and it has to do with maintaining eye contact.
3. Maintain Eye Contact
Most people have a problem with this one: maintaining eye contact during a conversation.
And yet, it is such a chic and elegant thing to do! It signals that you are fully present, attentive, and interested in what the other person is saying.
This puts your conversation partner at ease and makes him or her feel respected—exactly what we want to achieve through etiquette and good manners.
So, how do you maintain eye contact without making it awkward?
- Look at one of the person’s eyes or at the point on the nose between their eyes.
- Try not to let your gaze drift to other parts of their face, as this may come across as awkward.
- Keep nodding occasionally when the other person is speaking to show interest—but don’t overdo it, as it can look bizarre!
- When you are speaking, maintain eye contact as well. However, glance to the side or look up every now and then, as if you were thinking deeply about the topic you are discussing. This also helps make your conversation partner feel less uncomfortable.
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And here’s the thing: there’s one point we’re going to talk about next that you probably expected to see much earlier—how to dress elegantly.
4. Elegant and Chic Personal Presentation – Down to the Smallest Detail
So, how should you dress for whatever occasion you are attending? A chic dress, or something more casual?
Here’s the answer:
Dress in a way that reflects how you want to be perceived and addressed.
For example, if you are attending a professional meeting and aspire to become a manager or earn a promotion, dress as if you were already the manager. People will notice your professionalism and managerial attitude through your personal presentation.
Attention To Details
But here’s a very important thing to remember: the smallest details matter. If you want to appear elegant and refined, you shouldn’t overlook any details that could ruin your carefully planned presentation.
Which details am I talking about?
Imagine that you are dressed in a beautiful navy skirt suit with a crisp white shirt, perfectly tailored to your figure. Your makeup, hair, shoes, and handbag are all polished and elegant.
Great!
But… your nail polish is chipped, your cuticles are neglected, and there’s a small stain and a few loose threads on your skirt. Then you pull out a notebook with torn pages and a chewed-up pencil.
Suddenly, the elegant impression that you spent hours creating has dissolved in seconds!
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What we’re going to talk about next can make you look like a millionaire—even if you’re completely broke. And the best part? It’s completely free.
5. Posture Etiquette
What I love about having great posture and following etiquette is that it really elevates your presence and can make you look like a millionaire. And it is completely free.
Not to mention the health benefits!
Posture deserves an entire blog post of its own, but I will share a few important tips here:
- Keep your chin parallel to the floor.
- Roll your shoulders back.
- Engage your core muscles and gently pull in your stomach.
- Straighten your back.
- Keep your knees mostly together if you are a woman.
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And here’s the thing: the next point accounts for about 38% of communication. So make sure you don’t skip it
6. Friendly and Welcoming Voice
38% of how people perceive you is through your voice and the general sounds you make.
How can you improve your voice? How do you make sure that you sound good when speaking? There are four areas that you should work on:
- pitch
- pace
- rhythm
- how enthusiastic you sound
You should speak not too loudly, but also not too softly, and aim for a pleasant, natural intonation. Try not to raise your pitch at the end of a sentence unless it is a question.
Speaking too fast or too slow can be a sign of nervousness or may simply sound boring.
From time to time, it is good to make a pause. It definitely sounds more elegant than using filler words.
And lastly, if you sound passionate and enthusiastic about a subject, others will feel your energy and will have a much better impression of you.
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And get this: the next point accounts for most of your communication! So make sure you don’t skip it.
7. Open Body Language
And here’s something you might not realize: your body language can speak before you do.
55% – so more than half of your impression is conveyed through your body language. That is why posture is so important!
So how to make the best impression through your body languague?
Most importantly, it should show openness and approachability.
You should keep your torso open to the room and the colleagues around you. Therefore, keep your hands gently at your sides, or if you find that awkward, you can hold one hand with the other. However, keep the area from your waist up open. You could also hold a bag or a glass in your hand.
And here’s an important detail: Keep your right hand free and ready for potential greetings or introductions.
Avoid crossing your arms – not only does it close you off from your conversation partner, but you will likely also curve your back and lose proper posture.
Your legs should also show friendliness and openness, which you achieve through the placement of your feet.
Ideally, your feet should point more or less toward your conversation partner(s). If they are pointing away, it can give the impression that you want to leave or escape.
Another important element is showing respect. Therefore, look into the other person’s eyes and respond naturally to what they are saying.
And don’t forget about personal space. This will vary greatly by culture, so you need to do your research.
For example, my Argentinian boss, when she came to Switzerland to work, would often touch colleagues on the forearm while talking or hug them when saying good morning.
However, in Switzerland and many other parts of Europe, people often keep more physical distance, and touching another person — especially in formal meetings — can be considered inappropriate.
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And the final point? It might just be what makes you truly unforgettable.
8. Charisma and Positive Attitude
What is charisma, actually?
A charismatic person has a certain warmth about them. They make people feel welcomed, comfortable, and genuinely seen. No wonder everyone wants to be around them!
Think about the opposite.
No one wants to spend time with someone who appears uninterested, has nothing to say, and seems like they would rather be somewhere else.
If you are not naturally charismatic, don’t worry—you can still learn how to become more charismatic.
And this matters because your attitude can completely change the impression you leave on someone.
People who master etiquette understand that it isn’t only about what you do. It’s about how you make other people feel.
When you make someone feel at ease, heard, and respected, you become much more pleasant to be around—and much more memorable.
Therefore, focus on these three key pillars:
- Warmth & Empathy
- Competence & Confidence
- Expressive Communication
