Have you ever experienced a touch of envy as you watched an social networking expert flit from person to person, working those connections for all their worth? While some of us are virtually born to shake hands and connect faces to names, most of us are not so blessed.
If socializing doesn’t come naturally, it’s no different than learning to drive a car. You need to take it a stepwise fashion. Most people are shy about initiating conversations. If you get the ball rolling, those who are a bit reticent will appreciate it.
First, practice your smile in a mirror. It may seem a bit strange, but when was the last time you looked at yourself and measured that smile power? A genuine smile disarms a prospect by not sending mixed signals. We’ve all experienced that unsettled feeling when someone approaches us with a grin that we know deep down inside isn’t genuine.
After you’ve polished that smile with practice, then focus your thoughts for a moment on why people deserve to be loved and accepted for who they are. Nothing is more endearing to another person than a genuine demeanor. And that comes from a genuine concern and care for another person. While it’s true that some people not accustomed to a genuinely warm interaction and may be a bit skeptical at first, your warmth will win them over.
Lastly, develop a method suitable to your personality that helps you connect a face with a name. It can be a bit of a chore to memorize the names and faces of a dozen people in the space of one hour. Yet the positive impression it makes is worth every minute you spend cultivating genuine charm. Reach out to others and reap the rewards.