Getting strangers to like you isn’t as difficult as you think. Follow these tips to gain insight on how to make people like you instantly.

You don’t always need people to like you do make significant progress in life, but most times, the contrary is the case.

For example, your dream job could be hanging on whether an interviewer likes you or not. Also, a potential client might make their decision to work with you based on your likeability.

So, making a good first impression matters, as this could be your only chance of getting them to like you instantly.

Here are my 6 best tips on how to make a stranger like you instantly.

1. Have a good manner of approach

Your mission to getting that stranger to like you probably start here.

When approaching someone for the first time, be sure to exercise good manners as this shows just how courteous and respectful you are.

By exercising good manners, you make the other person feel safe and comfortable conversing with you.

When meeting someone for the first time, some of the good manners to exercise include:

• Introducing yourself by name
• Listening to them without interrupting
• Saying thank you or please when asking for something
• Avoiding derogatory remarks
• Respecting their privacy

2. Introduce Humor

People naturally love being around funny people, so when you come off as someone with a good sense of humor, you are perceived as fun to be with, and you are likely to be well received.

A study shows that getting someone to laugh or smile can facilitate the development of closeness and likeness between both parties.

This, to me, is one of the most casual ways of getting a stranger to like you.

When you can get a stranger to laugh or smile at your words, you make it very easy for them to like you.

Here is the challenge. Humor might not come naturally to you as it does to some other people. So, you have to put in the work and practice engaging humor.

3. Get them to talk about themselves

Understand that as humans, we have a natural desire to talk about ourselves and the things we care about rather than talk about someone else.

According to research, by merely telling people to talk about themselves (for example, by using the statement “Tell me more”), they like us more and are willing to engage with us.

As stated by Diana Tamir, a Harvard Neuroscientist in one of her research, people are willing to give up money to talk about themselves.

By understanding this, you become more guided on what to say when engaging with strangers.

When approaching a stranger for the first time, make them the center of focus. Make the discussion more about them.

Ask them open-ended questions. Trust me, their innate desire to be heard and appreciated will most likely kick in.

Additionally, ensure your questions are engaging.

For instance, instead of saying “Did you enjoy the event?”, a question that would likely get a yes or no answer, say something like “What part of the event caught your attention the most?”

When trying to get a stranger to like you, you don’t need to say much about yourself, focus your questions on them, and then listen.

When you can get the other person to talk about what they care about, they will like you for it and will remember you as someone caring and attentive.

4. Smile at them

When introducing yourself to someone new and trying to get them to like you, ensure to put on a smile.

As shown in a study, smiling can be contagious. As humans, we are more likely to react to a smile than a frown or any other facial expression.

When you are genuinely excited to meet someone, the smile comes naturally.

Ensure your smile is genuine (Also called the Duchenne smile). Don’t try to fabricate a smile (Pam Am smile) to give a good impression of yourself and get them to like you. Doing this could produce the opposite effect.

5. Call them by their names

It has been shown that by simply using a person’s name in a conversation, you create a culture of recognition, consideration, and respect for the discussion.

When meeting someone for the first time, try to memorize their name. This is important because people naturally love to hear the sound of their names.

As Dale Carnegie famously said, “A person’s name is to him/her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Where you’ve learned the name of the stranger, be sure to use it in the conversation a few times.

One way to learn the other person’s name is by simply asking them at the greeting stage.

For instance, you can say something like, “Hi, my name is Fred, what’s your name?”

If your manner of approach seems right, the person is likely to respond by saying something like, “Nice to meet you. My name is Tracy.”

To avoid overdoing this, call them by their names only when it feels natural to do so.

Do this right, and you will be increasing your chances of being well-liked by the stranger.

6. Open body language

Action, they say, speaks louder than words.

According to Leil Lowndes in How to Talk to Anyone, you can capture and hold anyone’s attention without saying a word.

Your body language is what people physically see about you.

It, therefore, becomes important to stay open with your body language when meeting someone for the first time.

Be sure to sit or stand upright, keep your legs wide, keep your arms out, and keep your face and feet pointed towards the other person.

Avoid folding your arms, picking your nose, facing elsewhere, or putting your hands in your pocket as this may be a big turn-off to the other person.

When you assume open body language, you increase your likeability.  

Conclusion

It’s a lot easier than you think to start a conversation with a stranger, and to get them to like you instantly.

When you use these tips during your encounter with strangers, you will be amazed at how well they respond.

So, to get them to like you, become that new man or woman with a positive vibe and attitude.

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