We are told that our interactions can often be reduced to the first impressions we leave. But first impressions are unlikely to be as powerful as last impressions – our last sensory engagement with someone, whether it’s 1-1 in person or in an interview with the media.

Those who leave good first impressions are never forgotten but those who leave good last impressions are always remembered. Whether you are convincing someone to buy your product, invest in your company, join you personally or professionally, or simply ensuring that people remember you in your best possible light once you are gone, the last impression is more likely to have an impact.

It’s no different than the way we interact with art. The first impression we have of a painting or a dance pales in comparison to the impact left at the end, the last moment our senses engage.

First impressions are the first sensory signal; last impressions are all that’s left when the signal goes silent.
First impressions are inauthentic – they are prepared, in anticipation, with intent. The best last impressions are authentic, a cumulative output of a sensory soundtrack.
First impressions are about others, they have an audience; last impressions reflect our true selves.

If we treat our interactions with others as the lasting way we interact with art, we will quickly realize the enormous power of last impressions.