Put Your Best Foot Forward With Tips From Lifestyle Expert Justine Santaniello

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — Have an interview, presentation or meeting coming up?

Lifestyle Expert Justine Santaniello visited the KCAL9 studios Tuesday to show viewers how to make good first impressions and how to bring the "best you" to every occasion.

Setting the tone in the first 7 seconds:

• Here's the thing, people sum us up in the 1st seven seconds we meet them which means we really only have 7 seconds to set the tone.

• People are looking at two things: 55% is our physical appearance while the rest is nonverbal communication like eye contact, handshake, and body language.

• There a few things you want to keep in mind for example, did you know that posture is the #1 indicator of how confident or not we feel? It's the number one thing people look at first in a candidate, a potential date, or anyone they are considering doing business with.

• So prior to the event there are some small stretches you can do-- Tilt your head in all four directions over your shoulders (forward, back, left, right), and gently massage your neck. This will help to loosen you up and relax you.

Physical appearance:

• Since physical appearance is a major factor in a first impression, I always tell people you need to dress for "intention".

• Make sure to choose solid, bold colors this way the attention stays on you and not on your outfit.

• You have to consider how you want to be treated based on the message you are "advertising" with your clothing and style.

• For a date ladies keep in mind to not choose anything too trendy. Guys don't know what the latest trends are like we do and sometimes they don't translate!

Leaving an impression:

• When it comes to leaving an impression, nothing about your appearance is off-limits that includes your cleanliness, overall appearance, and oral hygiene.

• You want to be smiling, this shows your confidence.

• So make sure to pop in a piece of gum prior to your meeting you not only freshen up your breath but can relax your facial muscles.

• Now here's a staggering statistic—in a recent survey, 82% of people agreed that the first thing they notice about someone is their smile!

• Many people who aren't confident in their smile fear the impression they leave in a first meeting.

• If you are one of these people I want you to check out Invisalign.

Communication:

• Now besides looking the part, communication is key.

• Only 7% of our communication impact is with our words.

• That means everything else is nonverbal communication – how we say our words, our body language, facial expression, and overall vibe.

• Therefore we need to pay attention to the smaller things like our handshake, leaning forward when you're interested in what the other person is saying, making a presence in the room, and having a strong, confident voice people want to listen to.

• When someone makes a joke, laugh to show you are engaged. Ask questions to keep the conversation going.

Have an emergency kit:

• No matter what the occasion, you will feel more relaxed if you have an "emergency kit" on you.

• Guys you can carry this in a Ziploc bag in your briefcase and ladies, you can pop your essentials right into a small makeup bag.

• Take a trip to your local drugstore and check out the travel section. They have a ton of options that fit nicely into a small bag and are super affordable.

• You want to pick up things like body lotion for your hands, mouthwash, mini deodorant, a lint roller, etc.

• Also ladies, pick up a pair of the roll-up ballet flats. This way you only have to wear your heels when needed!

Additional tips:

• Some final tips to keep in mind—the day of make sure to avoid caffeine and dairy and make sure not to wear sunglasses beforehand, Natural light can actually stimulate our neurotransmitters which increases our motivation and gets endorphins going!