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Communicate a genuine interest in people.Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Communicate a genuine interest in people around you. People are aware when you are interested in them and what they are saying. Listen carefully to what others say and try to find things that you identify with and are interested in. People will want to talk to you and eventually be your friend if you communicate your interest in them. You can practice this skill during casual conversations at the bus stop and notice how this approach makes a big difference. - 2
Smiling sends a universal human signal of friendliness.Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Smile. While this advice may seem like a platitude, many researchers, beginning most notably with Charles Darwin in 1872, suggest that smiling is unique to human beings and universal to our species. Smiling is interpreted by others as a friendly gesture, welcoming reciprocation. In 2005 Malcolm Gladwell wrote his famous book "Blink," indicating "the face is not a secondary billboard for our internal feelings, it is an equal partner in the emotional process." So do not forget the power of smiling. - 3
If you meet someone attractive named Dan, try to remember his name by chanting "Dan Dan the macho man" in your head several times.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Remember people's names, making them feel you like them and are important to them. If you are meeting a lot of people at once, say the name several times in your head and rhyme it with a physical or strong personality characteristic of the person. For example, if you meet a man named Dan whom you find very attractive, you may repeat in your head several times, "Dan Dan the macho man." The sillier the rhyme, the better, as it is more likely the brain will remember something unusual. - 4
Practice active listening to make friends.Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Listen. People like to talk about themselves. Ask them questions until you find something of mutual interest and really listen to what they have to say. Ask them questions to build on their answers -- this is known as active listening. - 5
Ask people about their hobbies to get them to talk about their interests.Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Talk about what the other person is interested in. If your goal is to make friends, focus on the person's interests. You can find out an amazing amount about a person just by being interested and asking. This strategy will help if you are a naturally shy person who does not like to disclose personal information to others when you first meet them. Asking people about their hobbies is an excellent way to engage them. - 6
If the other person has a special talent or ability, make him feel important in a sincere way.Ryan McVay/Lifesize/Getty Images
Make the other person feel important in a sincere way. Everyone has done something interesting, kind or important, and if you talk to them long enough, you can find out what this is. If, for example, you find out that Dan if really good at math, you can say something like, "Math is a special skill, I think you should feel lucky that you understand it."
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