How to make new friends.
There is an old saying “you never know who is your best friend until you have been friends with them for 10 years”. I am guilty of this too. I don’t want to seem like a snob, so I’ll be honest. I am very selective about the people I spend time with. I know this sounds harsh, but in reality, we only have so much time to invest in people. So, it’s important to choose wisely.
It took me some time to realize that I could use some of the same strategies I use to attract clients to my business, and use it for making friends. Here are the top five strategies I’ve used to make new friends.
1. Be A Good Listener
Asking questions is not a passive activity. We all have stories to tell, and when we share them with others, we hope they will listen to us. And that is exactly what you are trying to do when you share your story with others. In fact, you are asking them to hear you.
It’s hard to be in a conversation with someone if you are not listening. You need to pay attention to the person you are speaking with.
The easiest way to do this is by asking open-ended questions. Instead of asking a question like “So, what did you think?” ask “What was your biggest takeaway from the seminar?”
This way, the person has the opportunity to share their story without feeling obligated to tell you their opinion on your work.
2. Be Yourself
Being yourself is not a bad thing, unless you are a phony. Most people will agree that we all have a certain personality that we carry with us. What most people fail to realize is that your personality is actually what attracted them to you.
If you are genuine, you will find that people will want to be around you. Don’t try to be something you are not. Be yourself. People will appreciate that.
3. Take An Interest In Other People
If you have ever tried to make new friends, you probably realized that the key to building a successful friendship is to be interested in other people. You have to show interest in other people, especially if you want to make new friends.
There is nothing worse than being stuck in a conversation with someone and finding out that they are just bored and don’t care.
4. Learn To Say No
If you want to make new friends, you have to learn to say no. This is especially true for social media. There is no shortage of requests on Facebook and Twitter.
If you want to make new friends, you need to learn to turn down offers. You can say “no” politely, but don’t go into the details. Don’t explain why. Just say no.
5. Let People Know Who You Are
This is the most important strategy for making new friends. When you first meet someone, you don’t have any idea who they are. They might not even know who you are either.
But, over time, you can slowly learn more about the people you meet. If you don’t tell them who you are, they won’t know who you are.
Don’t hide who you are.
Thanks for reading!