Life Hacks to Making Friends

Have you ever wondered why some people find it easier to get along with others, and make friends a lot easier?

What makes them so special? Were they born with these natural abilities?

In most instances it would appear that way. Some people develop social skills a lot easier as a result of their upbringing. So what about everyone else?

What about those who spent most of their lives as outsiders, desperately searching for the social skills needed to bond with anyone.

The good news is that there is a easier way to get things done. That key to making friends and developing relationships is a commonly known term called Rapport.

Rapport is a state of harmonious understanding with another individual or group that enables greater and easier communication. In other words rapport is getting on well with another person, or group of people, by having things in common, this makes the communication process easier and usually more effective.

1.  Find and Point out Common Ground.

So, part of your job at this stage of rapport building is to learn something about the other person that you have in common and talk about it briefly to demonstrate that commonality. Think of how comfortable you might feel if, while living thousands of miles from where you grew up, you met someone from your hometown. An example of pointing out similarities: Enjoying similar movies, series, sports, hobbies

2.  Keep your Body Language Open

Open body language entails making yourself more approachable. This is done by keeping your hands open and arms and legs uncrossed. This is open body language and will help you and the person you are talking to feel more relaxed. The same rules apply if you’re sitting, but to display interest always lean forward. In other words don’t wrap yourself up or hold yourself and perhaps even have a small smile on your face.

3.  Use Mirroring

Although initial conversations can help us to relax, most rapport-building happens without words and through non-verbal communication channels (body language). We create and maintain rapport subconsciously through matching non-verbal signals, including mirroring the other person’s body positioning, body movements, eye contact, facial expressions and tone of voice. Ultimately people like people who are like them.

4. Voice, tone and Inflection

Do they talk loud or soft? You should match your volume level to theirs. Mimic the depth of their voice. If they talk quickly, you can talk quickly, if they talk slowly, you can talk slowly. If these use certain words, for example ‘hectic’, you can use that word in your conversation.

Basically rapport is established when there is mutual familiarity and trust between two people. Once you’ve created rapport with someone, he or she is far more likely to be open with you and share information, buy your product, recommend you to others, or share your ideas.