Whether you’re looking to improve your social circle or you’re already a social butterfly, there are some tips and tricks that can help you build connections faster. First, let’s talk about the basics. Work on the things that you can control. Start with you.
What do you need to do to become more approachable? How do you need to change in order to be more social and friendly? After that, you need to focus on your environment. Where are you hanging out? Are you going to the same places over and over again?
Or are you trying new things and meeting new people? Does your environment make you feel like you can be yourself? Here are some fool proof tips to know the answers to these questions and start connecting with people every day
Maintain a positive attitude and outlook
You are in a public place where many people have different opinions, beliefs and values. You are just one of the many people, and you have no idea what the others have gone through. So, being respectful and polite to others is better because you never know what they are going through.
It’s easy to think that others are rude and mean. But, it is better to give them the benefit of the doubt because they might not be rude; they might just be having a bad day. Or they might have something going on in their life that makes them rude.
In life we are constantly faced with new opportunities and roadblocks in life. You never know who can help show you the way, help you learn something useful, or make a meaningful connection. So always have a positive mindset and expectations when meeting people.
Start visiting your community’s meetup spot
Are you a part of a community? If not, what are you waiting for? Community can be found in a lot of places, and it can also involve signing up for a formal club or organization. You may not even have a large social circle to have a community.
Just look around you. You’ll find people with similar interests, hobbies, and goals in your everyday life. You can meet people who share your passions or simply people who like to laugh, want to connect, and want to share themselves with others.
Getting to know people in your local community is one of the best ways to start building connections. If you are unsure where to start, try to visit your community’s meetup spot, like a private country club, to get to know people in your surroundings. You can also try to attend local meetings or events in your area to meet people that share your interests or are in the same business as you.
Talk to people with similar interests or at a place of your interest
If you have a hobby, it can be hard to meet people with similar interests. But it doesn’t mean you can’t. In fact, there are numerous ways to meet new friends, with the most obvious being to expand your social circle.
When you are out with friends, you may already have a great time, but being around that same people will eventually get old. If you want to make new friends, try talking to people that share a similar interest.
It’s as simple as finding a place where people like you frequent. For example, if you like tattoos, you could talk to a tattoo lover at a tattoo shop, and maybe you can experience new things such as ear piercing and expand your horizon.
Your interest in a particular hobby will help you connect with someone, and the people you meet will be happy to help you expand your social circle.
Uphold a schedule to keep in touch with everyone
There’s a reason why the world’s best business people, authors and investors keep in touch with their circle of friends, family and colleagues on a regular basis: because these people are the ones who are going to be able to help them learn, grow and build their life.
It’s a simple fact of life: connecting with people who share the same passion as you make you grow. Whether you have a business up and running or not, you will want to start networking with the people around you. You may intend to be very active in making connections, but you must set a schedule and stick to it. Make it a habit.
The people you connect with are people you can count on when you need help with building your business o general areas in your life.
Be present while communicating
Do you find yourself looking at your phone while you’re talking to someone? If you’re like most people, you probably have this habit. The problem is that while you’re looking at your phone, you aren’t paying attention to what the other person is saying. You’re not present.
If you want to build connections with people near you, you need to be present while communicating. Simply put: be there, be in the moment, and be engaged. If you’re not present, it doesn’t matter how good of a listener you are, how good your communication skills are, or how much you care about the other person. If you aren’t present, you won’t be able to build connections with people.