How to start a conversation and make friends! Let’s imagine you read my advice on how to start a conversation and make friends. You’ve made the decision to look for local events, communities, and networking opportunities in your area. Then you have a thought to yourself.
This is where the content of this article comes into play. I wanted to teach you a set of techniques and rules for starting discussions with potential friends in the most natural and effortless way possible.
Talking to strangers is still the first step towards meeting your next best pals. You must meet individuals at local events or through local meetup groups, keep in touch with some of them, and figure out who you will be friends with.
How to start a conversation and make friends!
Begin with what you and your partner agree on.
Talking about something you both agree on is the best way to start a conversation. It’s usually something to do with the setting. Assume you’re at a networking event for gadget-related start-ups…You can approach anyone and ask, “So, do you work on gadgets, or are you just interested in this stuff…”
Second, imagine you’ve been asked to dinner with some friends and friends of friends, and you’re seated next to someone you’ve never met before… “So how do you know John Doe?” is a good way to start a conversation. (John Doe is the name of one of your mutual friends.)
Consider the Bigger Picture: Facts and Opinions
Once the conversation begins, you go over each of your backgrounds and how they relate to the event’s topic. You tell each other about your previous jobs and/or where you used to live. You reveal basic information about your lives. Because of the event’s topic, it’s simple to pose these questions without devolving into a tedious interview.
For example, if the event’s focus is entrepreneurship, you can talk about what you did before becoming an entrepreneur and/or what inspired each of you to start your own business.
Look for commonalities and emphasise them
This isn’t the place to explain why you need to find common ground with others. But keep in mind that, in my experience, other people’s experiences, and scientific evidence, you must find something in common with individuals in order to form friendships.
As you discuss basic details about your lives and your perspectives on the topics that arise, take note of what you have in common with the other person or group. Every time you notice that you have the same view on something, or that you’ve had a similar experience, or that you share a common hobby, or that you’ve visited or lived in the same location, make a note of it.
Sometimes the item you have in common is too common, such as the fact that you both went to New York. You don’t need to point that up because it’s so prevalent.
Look for hook points beyond commonalities.
Discovering “hook points,” as I call them, is the next stage after finding things in common. When you’re talking to someone and realise you’d like to meet them again, or they seem like a fascinating person in general, you do this.
It begins with you discovering that you share a common interest, talking about it for a while, and then discussing the possibility of relating to it in the future. It may be an activity that you both enjoy, so you think about getting together and doing it together at some point.
Gracefully exchange contact information
If you found anything in common and felt like you could hang out later, this is a simple one. It’s even easier if you’ve discovered a “hook point”: a way to share something you already do on your own. Even if you haven’t discovered a compelling reason to meet up later, you might just offer that you keep in touch.
Read also: How to make a conversation longer?
Read also: How to start small talk with strangers?
