You only have 7 seconds to make a first impression.

Yes, you read that correctly. Seven seconds (many times, less) is all it takes for someone to decide if you are a human that they want to invest time in. To put this into perspective, you have enough time to say “hello” and one sentence. This impression is not a fleeting thought either; it’s a solid impression of who you are as a human.

When we meet someone new, we immediately and unconsciously put that human into one of three categories: safe, not safe, or indifferent. This process dates back to prehistoric times when we had to make a quick decision or possibly end up dead.

Safe and not safe are fairly easy to understand… you either like them or you don’t, but what is indifferent?

When you pass someone walking through the grocery store and you smile at them, that would be categorized as indifferent. By the time you make it to the next aisle, you’ve forgotten about them.

Today, I was waiting at a stop sign at a busy intersection. The driver directly across the street signaled for me to make my turn first. As I made my turn, I gave him a wave of thanks. I’m sure we both categorized each other as indifferent.

Ideally, you want to be categorized as a friend; but if it comes down to not safe versus indifferent, I would want to be categorized as not safe instead of indifferent. If you are categorized as indifferent, this means that you don’t matter in the mind of the human who categorized you and you will soon be forgotten. If you are categorized as not safe, you are at least memorable and have a chance to turn things in a more positive direction.

So, what can you do within 7 seconds that will greatly increase your chances of being categorized as a friend?

1. Smile

A smile will increase your chances of being put into the friend category, but it has to be a real smile. Your unconscious can recognize when a human is faking a smile. The specific type of smile that you want to have is called a Duchenne smile. A Duchenne smile is one that involves not only the muscles around your mouth but also the muscles around your eyes.

A Duchenne smile is a genuine smile and cannot be faked. This means that you must be genuinely interested in other humans and happy to meet them.

2. Open Gestures

By making open hand and arm gestures as you approach a human, you unconsciously activate a feeling of safety within them. The gestures should come from the area of your navel. This too dates back to prehistoric times. When you gesture in this way, you expose the most vulnerable part of your body while showing that you have no weapons and are not a threat.

Now, this doesn’t mean that you approach a human with your arms wide open as if you are about to give them a hug. Simply make a gesture that exposes your midsection and clearly shows your hands.

3. Raise Your Eyebrows

Think about the last time you were out in public and a friend of yours walked into the room. What did you do when you noticed them? Most humans unconsciously raise their eyebrows when they see someone familiar. This is a sign of friendship.

When you approach someone for the first time, raise your eyebrows as if they were a long lost friend. Unconsciously, this human is very likely to view you as a friend.

Bonus Tip

You can begin to make an impression on other humans before you even meet them.

When humans see you in a group of other humans having a great time, they view you as being safe. (Note: A group can be as small as just two people.)

When you want to meet new humans, it’s to your advantage if you have one or more friends with you. If others appear to enjoy being with you, it broadcasts to the rest of the room that you are safe.

I would love to hear your feedback after you use these tips. Comment on this article or drop me a private email through my website at HypnosisForHumans.com.