First date? New business meeting? You only have 27 seconds to make a good first impression, according to new research.
A study among 2,000 Americans examining the art of first impressions found that seven in ten of us (69 percent) form a first impression of somebody before they even speak.
The research investigated the key contributors and timings to a positive first impression and found that smiling, being polite, smelling nice, being a good listener, and making eye contact number among the leading factors.
The new survey by Dollar Shave Club was conducted to mark the launch of their cologne collection, Blueprint.
Results confirmed the importance of smelling good when seeking to form a positive first impression- as 85 percent of respondents said their first impression of somebody will be more positive if they smell good.
And that goes double when you’re on a date. Things move a bit quicker in the dating world, as six in ten (60 percent) admit they take even less time than normal to form a first impression in a dating context.
You better impress early, too, as the average person knows within 15 minutes into a date whether they want a second date or not, with half (50 percent) saying it takes even less time than that.
Quite a bit of prep goes into a first date, it turns out, and it may actually involve Google. If you’ve got a first date lined up, you better hope your online presence is squeaky clean, as two in three Americans say it’s a good idea to search your date online before meeting up.
Getting ready for a date was also found to take the average person 29 minutes, with one of the most crucial predate steps revealed to be picking out a scent. According to the study, over two in three questioned (68 percent) put a lot of thought into how they smell before a date.
“We know that a scent speaks volumes, and cologne is the last thing you apply before walking out the door. That’s why we created Blueprint, a range of six amazing colognes that are perfect for every occasion. Our award-winning fragrance team has created a thoughtful selection of colognes you won’t find anywhere else. Whatever your plans, we have a Blueprint,” said Nick Virginio, Senior Brand Development Manager.
All that preparation can make a real difference to a person’s confidence with nearly every respondent (89 percent) saying they feel more confident when they look and smell good.
And confidence can go a long way when it comes to dating, as 83 percent of us say they’re more likely to form a good first impression of somebody they perceive as confident.
But smelling bad, acting arrogantly and dressing poorly were found to be the top reasons people will form a bad first impression of somebody.
And if you fail to impress early on a date, then it probably won’t last for long. If a date is going poorly the average American will call it quits after just 16 minutes.
Four in ten of those surveyed (40 percent) admit to having a friend call and fake an emergency to get them out of a miserable date, while 39 percent say they’ve told a date they have to work early in order to cut ties with a bad match.
