Besides our choice of dress or overall style, the next thing people immediately notice about us is our body language. Our verbal and non-verbal communication both convey powerful messages to the people we’re talking to and have a major impact on the impression that we leave on them.

So before you focus solely on your time and energy each morning picking your #OOTDs, take another look at the mirror but this time, noticing closely your body language. Or a much better trick is, grabbing your camera (or your phone) and starting recording yourself while you practice your pitch for your next meeting.

Remember, it takes a mere seven seconds to make a first impression. So to leave impressions that last, pay attention to your body language—posture, facial expressions, eye contact, hand gestures, the way you dress and carry yourself, as well as your movements like walking and sitting.

5 Body Language Tips For Having a Perfect Business Meeting

For any type of official business meeting, such as interviews or sales pitches, it’s important to be at your best. Here are body language tips that will help you make a good impression:

Smile

As you often hear, a smile can add to your attractiveness and helps elevate your mood! It gives a sense of well-being and more importantly, makes the other people in the room feel more at ease. And as if we needed more proof, according to research, happy faces are more likely to be remembered than faces with blank expressions.

In addition, your face could give you away by not smiling as the other person might start to assume that you’re disinterested to be in his presence. Never is the time to look like you’re bored unless you need to end the meeting, for which you’re better off excusing yourself politely.

So, flash those pearly whites the next time you show up and wrap your meeting!

Sit upright

For the most part of the business meeting, you will likely be in your seat. During this time, there is still some body language at play such as not leaning too forward and too backward. You don’t want to sit too close to invade the personal space of the other person but at the same time, do not sit too far back as that can look a bit standoffish.

One of the rules of proper posture is to sit up straight, shoulders relaxed but not hunched. Make sure that you keep your knees level or slightly higher than your hips. And don’t let your head and chin sit forward on your shoulders.

Don’t make the big mistake of slouching or slumping in your seat communicates an apathetic attitude which is not a good look for anyone.

Use hand gestures

Well-spoken and charismatic influencers know the importance of using hand gestures. They use it not just as an add-on but to make other people pay attention to their speech. This is especially key when trying to explain important points.

For instance, during meetings, talk with your palms facing in an upward position. When people see the inside of your hand, it communicates that you’re being honest and open so it increases the level of trust in what you’re saying.

At the same time, when you’re making a pitch to a client, try speaking with your palms facing each other with your fingers together as it communicates that you have expertise about what you’re talking about. So if you want to create an image of confidence, pay more attention to your hand gestures and practice using the right technique for different scenarios.

Make eye contact

Remember that the key to making a great first impression lies in the first few seconds of meeting someone so making eye contact is critical. It’s a powerful body language that establishes likability and trust as well as serves as an indicator of our interest.

A good practice of eye contact is the 50/70 rule. This means that you maintain eye contact 50 percent of the time while speaking and 70 percent of the time while listening, without staring. The secret is in being genuinely interested and engaged so that the other person feels heard and appreciated.

Practice making eye contact regularly to master the art of persuasion which is especially useful during business meetings!

Have an open and relaxed posture

During business meetings, you must maintain a calm and relaxed demeanor and be mindful of the small gestures that might slip your way.

First, don’t rush in and arrive tense. If you’re late for the meeting, breath in and compose yourself and calmly apologize while also thanking the people in the room for waiting for you.

Second, during the meeting, avoid crossing your arms as this signals that you’re disengaged or unhappy. Also, avoid biting your nails if you’re feeling rather nervous during the meeting. If this is the case, excuse yourself and step out of the room to regain composure for a minute or two.

How Do You Use Body Language?

The tips given in this article are a good general guide to creating a great first impression during business meetings so practice using them as often as possible.

However, it’s also worth noting that some people come from different cultural backgrounds, where positive gestures in one country can be negative in others.

So reflect on how you use these body language tips and keep learning them the proper way. This way you will become accustomed to it and train yourself to look your best during meetings.

Here’s a quick video of the Dos and Don’ts you should observe during business meetings. Keep in mind that the impression you make can leave a lasting mark so make sure you’re always at the top of your game!