For a lot of us it is very hard to initiate contact
with other people. The following suggestions should help make that
first step easier. The most important factor in this matter is
having the courage to say something to begin with. The actual
content of the conversation is often secondary. By initiating a
conversation one can find out if the other person is interested in
social interaction. Do not assume if someone else is interested or
not. Often this interest can be made to grow during a discussion.
Laughing opens doors
The
magic way of making contact with other people easier is a genuine
friendly smile. At least one should take on an open and friendly
look that invites contact. When the people in front of you smiles
back, then you have already established a form of contact. If you
are now also able to find the right conversational topic, you have
probably already “won” this person.
Start a conversation with a
compliment
Open a
conversation with a compliment. This is more interesting and
appealing for the other person than any remark on the weather. For
the topic of your compliment, select a feature from the person that
really impresses you. Otherwise the compliment might come across as
not genuine. Continue on the topic if your conversation partner
shows interest. Examples: “ you are wearing a beautiful…. Where did
you get it?” or “you have such a wonderful smile, one can not stop
from smiling with you”
Use body language
If you
have seen couples that are in love sitting in a restaurant, than you
have probably noticed that a lot of their body movements are
similar. They support themselves with the same arm, they pick up a
glass with the same hand and have their legs positioned in the same
way. Use this principle to make initiating contact with other people
easier. Create an “understanding” in a non-verbal way by mirroring
the other person’s body attitude. Using this principle can be very
useful because it will make relating much easier.