How to Use Twitter: Make Friends and Money With Twitter
December 8, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Peter Nisbet asked:
Making money with Twitter is not difficult, and while everybody wants to know how to use Twitter properly very few do. Yes, you can log on and tweet, but do you really know how to use it? Do you know how to attract the followers that you want, or how to choose the tweeters that you want to follow?
Most people are happy having as many followers as possible, but why are they following you? Why do people who don’t have a clue who you are want to follow you? Unless you can answer questions such as these then you do not know how to use the site, let alone how to make friends and money from Twitter.
That’s right – make money! It is possible to make money with Twitter by using it as it can be used, but you have to know how to do that. Twitter can be used to drive masses of traffic to your blog, Squidoo lens or website. There is nothing illegal about it, and Twitter will not throw you off: in fact they will welcome it. The reason for that is that the owners want it to be as popular as possible and to have as many Twitter users and followers as they possibly can get.
Part of that might be due to reported bids for Twitter from Rupert Murdoch, Apple and Facebook, and perhaps even Google: obviously the busier and more popular the site is then the higher its value. However, a lot has also got a lot to do with pride, and the more uses to which people can put the site then the less it will be known as a one trick pony, useful only for short tweets but nothing else.
If it becomes a useful means of internet marketing, and can be extended into a mainstream income earner, then Twitter will assume a new dimension and not only increase its value but also its reputation as a more solid WEB2 site and not just a bit of frippery on the periphery of real internet marketing entities. You can make money with Twitter, mainly by using it as a marketing tool to drive traffic to your blog or website. You can also use Twitter to send visitors to your MySpace, Facebook or YouTube pages and any other web presence that you have such as your Squidoo lens.
What you need is good professional instruction, not only on how to make friends and communicate, but also how to make money with Twitter. Not many are doing so right now, but if you feel that this is a growing medium, of which there is absolutely no doubt, then you must make sure that you don’t miss the boat. You can use Twitter without spamming, and without annoying any of the other tweeters that use it.
In fact many might want to join you, since they will learn a lot more about this fabulous communications technique than they do right now. Once you understand how Twitter can be used to the maximum of its potential then you can pass that information on free if you want.
First, however, you have to understand the basics of Twitter. You might believe that you know all there is to know, but don’t be silly! Nobody knows that, not even me, and I know a heck of a lot. Nevertheless there is still a lot to be learned, and you should start learning right now before you get left behind.
By learning how to use Twitter properly, you will broaden your outlook and enjoy tweeting much more, and if you know how to make money with Twitter when you need it, then these sudden expenses that come along will no longer pose problems. By combining the benefits of WEB2 sites such as Squidoo, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter you can create a marketing entity so powerful that you find it difficult not to make money.
Making money with Twitter is not difficult, and while everybody wants to know how to use Twitter properly very few do. Yes, you can log on and tweet, but do you really know how to use it? Do you know how to attract the followers that you want, or how to choose the tweeters that you want to follow?
Most people are happy having as many followers as possible, but why are they following you? Why do people who don’t have a clue who you are want to follow you? Unless you can answer questions such as these then you do not know how to use the site, let alone how to make friends and money from Twitter.
That’s right – make money! It is possible to make money with Twitter by using it as it can be used, but you have to know how to do that. Twitter can be used to drive masses of traffic to your blog, Squidoo lens or website. There is nothing illegal about it, and Twitter will not throw you off: in fact they will welcome it. The reason for that is that the owners want it to be as popular as possible and to have as many Twitter users and followers as they possibly can get.
Part of that might be due to reported bids for Twitter from Rupert Murdoch, Apple and Facebook, and perhaps even Google: obviously the busier and more popular the site is then the higher its value. However, a lot has also got a lot to do with pride, and the more uses to which people can put the site then the less it will be known as a one trick pony, useful only for short tweets but nothing else.
If it becomes a useful means of internet marketing, and can be extended into a mainstream income earner, then Twitter will assume a new dimension and not only increase its value but also its reputation as a more solid WEB2 site and not just a bit of frippery on the periphery of real internet marketing entities. You can make money with Twitter, mainly by using it as a marketing tool to drive traffic to your blog or website. You can also use Twitter to send visitors to your MySpace, Facebook or YouTube pages and any other web presence that you have such as your Squidoo lens.
What you need is good professional instruction, not only on how to make friends and communicate, but also how to make money with Twitter. Not many are doing so right now, but if you feel that this is a growing medium, of which there is absolutely no doubt, then you must make sure that you don’t miss the boat. You can use Twitter without spamming, and without annoying any of the other tweeters that use it.
In fact many might want to join you, since they will learn a lot more about this fabulous communications technique than they do right now. Once you understand how Twitter can be used to the maximum of its potential then you can pass that information on free if you want.
First, however, you have to understand the basics of Twitter. You might believe that you know all there is to know, but don’t be silly! Nobody knows that, not even me, and I know a heck of a lot. Nevertheless there is still a lot to be learned, and you should start learning right now before you get left behind.
By learning how to use Twitter properly, you will broaden your outlook and enjoy tweeting much more, and if you know how to make money with Twitter when you need it, then these sudden expenses that come along will no longer pose problems. By combining the benefits of WEB2 sites such as Squidoo, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter you can create a marketing entity so powerful that you find it difficult not to make money.
Tips on Making Friends For Shy People
November 28, 2009 by admin
Filed under Relationships
Alex Vasilevski asked:
Shy people can find it challenging to make friends especially if they are amongst people they don’t know. Would you like to have the skills to start conversation and make friends with total strangers? It is not so difficult and frightening as you think as with little effort and practice you can start right now. Even better once you learn how it will become second nature to you, each time it will be easier, you will overcome shyness and making friends will become pleasure instead of torture.
The first thing to understand is that your shyness can end up being a real gift. Why? Because most of the time, people would rather talk than listen. It is human nature. So if you want to learn how to make friends all you have to know is how to get people to talk to you. Now this is easy once you understand what people like to talk about the most. Themselves.
That’s right, if you want to get people to talk to you just ask them about themselves. Now, of course you are going to run into people who are more private and may be reluctant to do this. In this case, find out what they are interested in and get them to talk about it. Ask how long they have been doing it; ask why they started and why they like it so much. Then just let them go and listen. Knowing how to make friends is all about being able to keep a good conversation going. Get someone to talk about what they are interested in and you’ll hardly have to talk at all. Pretty soon, they’ll wonder the same thing about you. By then it ought to be easy to have your turn.
That said, let me give you a few tips on how to make friends by starting these kinds of conversations and keeping them going:
· Practice talking to people you don’t know:
You can start small and work your way up. Make it a goal today to say hello to at least one person who you don’t know. Do this for one week and then begin to also ask them “How are you today?” Once this becomes a habit, pick two people a day until you are saying this to everyone who you can. You will be surprised at how easy it becomes after some practice.
· Compliment them or ask for their advice
These are both powerful ways to earn someone’s respect right away. Of course, you may not always be in a position to ask someone for advice. That’s when you go for the compliment. Don’t worry about what you are going to say next, the conversation may not go anywhere and that’s OK. The point is that if you get into the habit of doing this that you are going to run into some people who will help move the conversation along.
These simple steps will make a world of difference; just imagine where you could be one year from now! So go ahead and work on putting them into practice. Soon you will learn that knowing how to make friends is something even shy people can learn.
Shy people can find it challenging to make friends especially if they are amongst people they don’t know. Would you like to have the skills to start conversation and make friends with total strangers? It is not so difficult and frightening as you think as with little effort and practice you can start right now. Even better once you learn how it will become second nature to you, each time it will be easier, you will overcome shyness and making friends will become pleasure instead of torture.
The first thing to understand is that your shyness can end up being a real gift. Why? Because most of the time, people would rather talk than listen. It is human nature. So if you want to learn how to make friends all you have to know is how to get people to talk to you. Now this is easy once you understand what people like to talk about the most. Themselves.
That’s right, if you want to get people to talk to you just ask them about themselves. Now, of course you are going to run into people who are more private and may be reluctant to do this. In this case, find out what they are interested in and get them to talk about it. Ask how long they have been doing it; ask why they started and why they like it so much. Then just let them go and listen. Knowing how to make friends is all about being able to keep a good conversation going. Get someone to talk about what they are interested in and you’ll hardly have to talk at all. Pretty soon, they’ll wonder the same thing about you. By then it ought to be easy to have your turn.
That said, let me give you a few tips on how to make friends by starting these kinds of conversations and keeping them going:
· Practice talking to people you don’t know:
You can start small and work your way up. Make it a goal today to say hello to at least one person who you don’t know. Do this for one week and then begin to also ask them “How are you today?” Once this becomes a habit, pick two people a day until you are saying this to everyone who you can. You will be surprised at how easy it becomes after some practice.
· Compliment them or ask for their advice
These are both powerful ways to earn someone’s respect right away. Of course, you may not always be in a position to ask someone for advice. That’s when you go for the compliment. Don’t worry about what you are going to say next, the conversation may not go anywhere and that’s OK. The point is that if you get into the habit of doing this that you are going to run into some people who will help move the conversation along.
These simple steps will make a world of difference; just imagine where you could be one year from now! So go ahead and work on putting them into practice. Soon you will learn that knowing how to make friends is something even shy people can learn.
How to Make Friends While Studying Abroad
November 11, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Nick Sanders asked:
Most students study abroad with the intent of making new friends and immersing themselves in a new culture and new community. However, many students end up forming a group with other students from their home country and not making the most of the brilliant opportunity they have. The first thing to do when you decide to study abroad is to work on gaining self confidence, and read some news reports on the country you are going too. Give yourself some background knowledge and something to talk about. Then, make sure you know enough of the language to have conversations with others.
When you reach your destination country, remember that you are going to have to put effort into making friends. Local students may seem standoffish, but are probably just waiting for you to break the ice. The first group of students to start with is other international students studying with you. These are students in your situation, and will want to make friends too. You can make a variety of friends from different countries in this way, and find people to socialise with and practise the country’s language with.
Next, don’t presume that orientation seminars or ice breaker events are pointless, as they are there to help you make friends. Activities such as sticking your name to your head or talking about yourself for two minutes may seem daunting, but will help you make global friendships. Attend a few, and you’ll make many friends in a very easy way. Universities hold these events to encourage everyone to make friends, and they are usually tried and tested methods.
If you want to make friends with locals, you will then need to arrange social gatherings outside of university time. Make sure you are always safe and that somebody knows where you are; make sure you aren’t wandering alone, and take money and a map. Go to different surroundings, and see who you’ll meet there. You might meet friends in malls or clubs, or less obvious places such as coffee shops. Remember that as long as you are friendly and polite most people will respond positively to you, and try talking to different groups of people. Local teenagers will know the best places to hang out, but local adults will know where to get cheap or fresh food, and where student deals are available. However, make sure that you know the customs of the local area, and try not to offend anyone. Watch what you wear and say, and if you are somewhere with strong beliefs, then you should adhere to them. Cover yourself up if necessary, or take off your jewellery. If you meet a special someone, keep public displays to a minimum and research the local laws for your area. In some countries, kissing outside can gain you a caution! Your university should have information on the area if you need some, or try googling it. You will struggle to make friends if you don’t appear to respect the country’s boundaries.
Finally, there is nothing wrong with becoming friends with other people from your home country, but don’t limit yourself. While you will probably become best friends with someone who is at your Uni, you will miss out on a lot of the pleasures of being a student studying abroad if you don’t make the most of the social opportunities it gives you. Remember to use your language skills, take photos and make friends, and you’ll have a brilliant time.
Most students study abroad with the intent of making new friends and immersing themselves in a new culture and new community. However, many students end up forming a group with other students from their home country and not making the most of the brilliant opportunity they have. The first thing to do when you decide to study abroad is to work on gaining self confidence, and read some news reports on the country you are going too. Give yourself some background knowledge and something to talk about. Then, make sure you know enough of the language to have conversations with others.
When you reach your destination country, remember that you are going to have to put effort into making friends. Local students may seem standoffish, but are probably just waiting for you to break the ice. The first group of students to start with is other international students studying with you. These are students in your situation, and will want to make friends too. You can make a variety of friends from different countries in this way, and find people to socialise with and practise the country’s language with.
Next, don’t presume that orientation seminars or ice breaker events are pointless, as they are there to help you make friends. Activities such as sticking your name to your head or talking about yourself for two minutes may seem daunting, but will help you make global friendships. Attend a few, and you’ll make many friends in a very easy way. Universities hold these events to encourage everyone to make friends, and they are usually tried and tested methods.
If you want to make friends with locals, you will then need to arrange social gatherings outside of university time. Make sure you are always safe and that somebody knows where you are; make sure you aren’t wandering alone, and take money and a map. Go to different surroundings, and see who you’ll meet there. You might meet friends in malls or clubs, or less obvious places such as coffee shops. Remember that as long as you are friendly and polite most people will respond positively to you, and try talking to different groups of people. Local teenagers will know the best places to hang out, but local adults will know where to get cheap or fresh food, and where student deals are available. However, make sure that you know the customs of the local area, and try not to offend anyone. Watch what you wear and say, and if you are somewhere with strong beliefs, then you should adhere to them. Cover yourself up if necessary, or take off your jewellery. If you meet a special someone, keep public displays to a minimum and research the local laws for your area. In some countries, kissing outside can gain you a caution! Your university should have information on the area if you need some, or try googling it. You will struggle to make friends if you don’t appear to respect the country’s boundaries.
Finally, there is nothing wrong with becoming friends with other people from your home country, but don’t limit yourself. While you will probably become best friends with someone who is at your Uni, you will miss out on a lot of the pleasures of being a student studying abroad if you don’t make the most of the social opportunities it gives you. Remember to use your language skills, take photos and make friends, and you’ll have a brilliant time.
How to Make Friends for Life — Three Steps Towards Friendship
Sean Carter asked:
Friendship and friends continue to remain central to our lives. The relationship that we share with our friends is grounded in a mutual concern as our friends help us in shaping up our personalities as well. Even in this age of online social networking and ecards, the need of expanding the network of friends, whether online or offline remains a primary concern for people. We may have a very vague understanding of what makes a friend but we all want to have a good many number of friends around us.
Research has shown that the quality and nature of your friends are one of the key influencing factors in achieving happiness, self esteem, and satisfaction. Friends often affect the health and energy of a person as well. More and more people are increasingly turning towards their friendsfor for support and mutual sharing rather than communicating to their relatives; and this sociological phenomenon has escalated the desire to make more friends. Though friendship is an impulsive relationship developed between two autonomous individuals marked by a voluntary, emotional and mutual concern, but there are certain steps, which, if implemented can win you friends or at least help you get close to those whom you want to make your friends.
The first step to make friends with someone is to make them like you. If they don’t like you in the first place, it is unlikely that they’ll be eager to become your friends. To let someone know that you are genuinely interested in them, simple gestures like a little smile and calling him by his name can lay the basic foundation. To make the other person feel important you need to be a good listener and encourage the other person to talk. Give your honest and sincere opinion but do not overtly criticize or make fun of him or her.
The second step of making someone your friend is to develop a mutual consideration between each other. You need to share his or her perspective and for that it is necessary for you to develop an inclination to see things from the other person’s point of view. To become best of friends you must show a genuine concern and consideration for your friend’s desires and opinions.
The third and final step towards friendship is to show your unconditional support and encouragement towards your friend. Moreover, you also need to be very clear about your expectations from your friend. If what you expect from the person you want to befriend, matches with what that person can and want to contribute in friendship, the developing friendship between you and your friend is assured to flourish, making both of you gratified with mutual emotional bonding.
Friendship has overwhelming significance on both social and individual level. Friendship doesn’t only provide us with emotional as well as utilitarian support but it also helps us to improve our personal identities. So it is quite natural to feel the urge to reach out and make new friends, expanding your friend’s circle. Using the internet and the associated services like free friendship ecards come as a natural extension to this escalating aspiration. Friendship remains familiar yet quite ambiguous for our deeper understanding of this elusive relationship but then again, friends remain the most important ingredients in the recipe of life!
Friendship and friends continue to remain central to our lives. The relationship that we share with our friends is grounded in a mutual concern as our friends help us in shaping up our personalities as well. Even in this age of online social networking and ecards, the need of expanding the network of friends, whether online or offline remains a primary concern for people. We may have a very vague understanding of what makes a friend but we all want to have a good many number of friends around us.
Research has shown that the quality and nature of your friends are one of the key influencing factors in achieving happiness, self esteem, and satisfaction. Friends often affect the health and energy of a person as well. More and more people are increasingly turning towards their friendsfor for support and mutual sharing rather than communicating to their relatives; and this sociological phenomenon has escalated the desire to make more friends. Though friendship is an impulsive relationship developed between two autonomous individuals marked by a voluntary, emotional and mutual concern, but there are certain steps, which, if implemented can win you friends or at least help you get close to those whom you want to make your friends.
The first step to make friends with someone is to make them like you. If they don’t like you in the first place, it is unlikely that they’ll be eager to become your friends. To let someone know that you are genuinely interested in them, simple gestures like a little smile and calling him by his name can lay the basic foundation. To make the other person feel important you need to be a good listener and encourage the other person to talk. Give your honest and sincere opinion but do not overtly criticize or make fun of him or her.
The second step of making someone your friend is to develop a mutual consideration between each other. You need to share his or her perspective and for that it is necessary for you to develop an inclination to see things from the other person’s point of view. To become best of friends you must show a genuine concern and consideration for your friend’s desires and opinions.
The third and final step towards friendship is to show your unconditional support and encouragement towards your friend. Moreover, you also need to be very clear about your expectations from your friend. If what you expect from the person you want to befriend, matches with what that person can and want to contribute in friendship, the developing friendship between you and your friend is assured to flourish, making both of you gratified with mutual emotional bonding.
Friendship has overwhelming significance on both social and individual level. Friendship doesn’t only provide us with emotional as well as utilitarian support but it also helps us to improve our personal identities. So it is quite natural to feel the urge to reach out and make new friends, expanding your friend’s circle. Using the internet and the associated services like free friendship ecards come as a natural extension to this escalating aspiration. Friendship remains familiar yet quite ambiguous for our deeper understanding of this elusive relationship but then again, friends remain the most important ingredients in the recipe of life!
How To Make Friends And Have Lasting Relationships
September 18, 2009 by admin
Filed under Relationships
Bettye Jamerson asked:
In an effort to help young adults achieve their personal best as they began their quest for life graduating from high school and going off to college, it’s more than appropriate to offer words of wisdom as a guideline to assist them in setting boundaries and becoming responsible adults in the absence of the parental control they have become so accustomed to having.
Coming from an environment of imposed discipline, responsibility, and guidance to a totally no holes barred freedom. This is the perfect time to take the opportunity to stop, look and listen to the people around you and get an idea of which ones you want to allow into your life and space, and spending your time with in a relationship.
All of your life before now, your parents were the ones who chose your friends for you and decided who you would hang around with and who you would not—but now it’s all up to you to choose the right people to develop relationships with. Choosing the right people to spend time with can either add to or subtract from our lives, so it is well worth the time it will take to observe and proceed with caution in your people selection.
A word of wisdom for young adults today is, don’t be afraid to be alone. By spending time with yourself, you will be able to identify your likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and your wants and needs for the relationships you desire to develop with others—male and females. Believe me I know from first hand experience. When I went off to college, I had lived a very sheltered life where my friends were pretty much chosen for me by my parents. I had not been allowed to date until I was seventeen years old in an effort to protect me. But to my detriment, I had no clue as to how to judge people that I had not been allowed to communicate with resulting in some very traumatic experiences for me. So again, proceed with caution in choosing the people you spend time with.
Remember, not everyone is for you. And you definitely will not be for everyone. There will be people from all walks of life, some good and some not so good. Take the time to meet people on neutral ground and get an idea of the why’s they have prioritized in their life. Never lose site of the fact that ultimately, the goal of everyone in college is to prepare themselves for their call in life. So, by starting out choosing good healthy relationships, you can remain focused on the reason for your being there in the first place.
There was a saying where I came from and it simply stated, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Know that the people you chose to associate yourself with and hang out with, whether you behave like them or not, think like them or not, dress like them or not is usually the way others will perceive, treat and respond to you as they do to them. Know which relationships are good for you, healthy for you, long-term, short-term, too toxic and unhealthy, slated for a friend or should be just an acquaintance. Make it a practice to always set your standards and boundaries in every relationship you establish. This way, you will save yourself the emotional baggage, emotional chaos and guilt when you realize that this was not the relationship for you.
Finally, no man is an island and being a loner is not the answer. I encourage you to invest the time and effort into developing meaningful and healthy relationships with others and always set boundaries at the onset, ensuring that everyone understands as well as respects them. And if they don’t, then this is more than likely not the relationship for you. Some of the relationships you develop at this point in your life will be lifetime relationships of great value to you, so go ahead and start a new life for yourself with people that will love, help, encourage and be there for you unconditionally, no matter what.
In an effort to help young adults achieve their personal best as they began their quest for life graduating from high school and going off to college, it’s more than appropriate to offer words of wisdom as a guideline to assist them in setting boundaries and becoming responsible adults in the absence of the parental control they have become so accustomed to having.
Coming from an environment of imposed discipline, responsibility, and guidance to a totally no holes barred freedom. This is the perfect time to take the opportunity to stop, look and listen to the people around you and get an idea of which ones you want to allow into your life and space, and spending your time with in a relationship.
All of your life before now, your parents were the ones who chose your friends for you and decided who you would hang around with and who you would not—but now it’s all up to you to choose the right people to develop relationships with. Choosing the right people to spend time with can either add to or subtract from our lives, so it is well worth the time it will take to observe and proceed with caution in your people selection.
A word of wisdom for young adults today is, don’t be afraid to be alone. By spending time with yourself, you will be able to identify your likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and your wants and needs for the relationships you desire to develop with others—male and females. Believe me I know from first hand experience. When I went off to college, I had lived a very sheltered life where my friends were pretty much chosen for me by my parents. I had not been allowed to date until I was seventeen years old in an effort to protect me. But to my detriment, I had no clue as to how to judge people that I had not been allowed to communicate with resulting in some very traumatic experiences for me. So again, proceed with caution in choosing the people you spend time with.
Remember, not everyone is for you. And you definitely will not be for everyone. There will be people from all walks of life, some good and some not so good. Take the time to meet people on neutral ground and get an idea of the why’s they have prioritized in their life. Never lose site of the fact that ultimately, the goal of everyone in college is to prepare themselves for their call in life. So, by starting out choosing good healthy relationships, you can remain focused on the reason for your being there in the first place.
There was a saying where I came from and it simply stated, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Know that the people you chose to associate yourself with and hang out with, whether you behave like them or not, think like them or not, dress like them or not is usually the way others will perceive, treat and respond to you as they do to them. Know which relationships are good for you, healthy for you, long-term, short-term, too toxic and unhealthy, slated for a friend or should be just an acquaintance. Make it a practice to always set your standards and boundaries in every relationship you establish. This way, you will save yourself the emotional baggage, emotional chaos and guilt when you realize that this was not the relationship for you.
Finally, no man is an island and being a loner is not the answer. I encourage you to invest the time and effort into developing meaningful and healthy relationships with others and always set boundaries at the onset, ensuring that everyone understands as well as respects them. And if they don’t, then this is more than likely not the relationship for you. Some of the relationships you develop at this point in your life will be lifetime relationships of great value to you, so go ahead and start a new life for yourself with people that will love, help, encourage and be there for you unconditionally, no matter what.
How to Make Friends Even if You’re Old
September 16, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Jane Falter asked:
When I was considering my recent move to Asheville, my mind quickly went to the wonderful friends I would be leaving in Pennsylvania. My heart sank—boy, I sure would miss them. But then I realized if I hadn’t taken the chance to relocate with my company and move to that area, I wouldn’t have met them in the first place. It was fascinating to think about all the changes through the years that lead to meeting the wonderful people that are now so important to me.
Last May, I facilitated a session for singles at the last Creative Retirement Exploratory Weekend sponsored by the Center for Creative Retirement here in Asheville. I was surprised by the number of people who shared their biggest concern about moving was making new friends. One participant repeated a saying my mother told me years ago, “It’s hard to make friends when you’re old.” Even worse, I confess I’ve even said it myself.
Now I realize that is a limiting belief. If you do not believe something is possible, you will not attempt it or devote much energy to achieving it. More often than not, you believe a limiting belief as true because you’ve learned it from someone else you respect, a cultural “norm,” or from an “authority” such as a book or the media (we all know how influential they can be).
How did this piece of conventional wisdom evolve? My friend Marie, is 81 and continues to make friends—everyone seems to know (and love) her. Alice, age 90, recently moved here to be near her daughter, plays bridge twice a week with her new friends in her independent living community.
If you’re a Baby Boomer and worried about making friends (whether you are relocating or not), here are five tips for you:
Friendships blossom with a common bond. Certainly work is a natural breeding ground for friendships since so much time is spent there. Find something you enjoy and you will meet people you have something in common with—maybe it’s the church you attend, volunteering for a cause you believe in, or attending a life-long learning class.
Join smaller groups. A lot of people would describe me as out-going and friendly, but I dread large events where you do a lot of small talk. In the new large church I recently joined when I moved, I decided their Wednesday suppers wasn’t for me. Instead I participate in their dinner group program where four couples serve meals at their homes with a more intimate conversation (they had to flex their rule to accommodate me as a single). Don’t expect to get to know people at a large meeting–sign up for a committee where you get to work with 8-10 people.
Make the first step. If you meet someone you’d like to know better, ask them a question or extend a compliment to them. Many times when entering a seminar or a meeting, I will sit down near a person who is sitting by themselves and is likely to be open to starting a conversation with me. Take a chance and invite them to coffee, lunch or a related activity.
Keep connected. Although I have moved several times in my life, I make time to keep in touch with the special friends I’ve met through the years. We connect by phone, email, even text (I am such a modern woman) and we make time to visit with each other periodically.
Your heart expands as it needs to. Remember telling your older child that the new baby doesn’t replace him/her—that your heart has enough room for both? The same works for friends. As I write this, the girl scout song I learned in childhood,“Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and other’s gold” is playing in my head.
If you’re like me, you realize that some of your silver friends have gradually turned gold. Treasure them all.
“We need old friends to help us grow old and new friends to help us stay young.”
Letty Cottin Pogrebin
When I was considering my recent move to Asheville, my mind quickly went to the wonderful friends I would be leaving in Pennsylvania. My heart sank—boy, I sure would miss them. But then I realized if I hadn’t taken the chance to relocate with my company and move to that area, I wouldn’t have met them in the first place. It was fascinating to think about all the changes through the years that lead to meeting the wonderful people that are now so important to me.
Last May, I facilitated a session for singles at the last Creative Retirement Exploratory Weekend sponsored by the Center for Creative Retirement here in Asheville. I was surprised by the number of people who shared their biggest concern about moving was making new friends. One participant repeated a saying my mother told me years ago, “It’s hard to make friends when you’re old.” Even worse, I confess I’ve even said it myself.
Now I realize that is a limiting belief. If you do not believe something is possible, you will not attempt it or devote much energy to achieving it. More often than not, you believe a limiting belief as true because you’ve learned it from someone else you respect, a cultural “norm,” or from an “authority” such as a book or the media (we all know how influential they can be).
How did this piece of conventional wisdom evolve? My friend Marie, is 81 and continues to make friends—everyone seems to know (and love) her. Alice, age 90, recently moved here to be near her daughter, plays bridge twice a week with her new friends in her independent living community.
If you’re a Baby Boomer and worried about making friends (whether you are relocating or not), here are five tips for you:
Friendships blossom with a common bond. Certainly work is a natural breeding ground for friendships since so much time is spent there. Find something you enjoy and you will meet people you have something in common with—maybe it’s the church you attend, volunteering for a cause you believe in, or attending a life-long learning class.
Join smaller groups. A lot of people would describe me as out-going and friendly, but I dread large events where you do a lot of small talk. In the new large church I recently joined when I moved, I decided their Wednesday suppers wasn’t for me. Instead I participate in their dinner group program where four couples serve meals at their homes with a more intimate conversation (they had to flex their rule to accommodate me as a single). Don’t expect to get to know people at a large meeting–sign up for a committee where you get to work with 8-10 people.
Make the first step. If you meet someone you’d like to know better, ask them a question or extend a compliment to them. Many times when entering a seminar or a meeting, I will sit down near a person who is sitting by themselves and is likely to be open to starting a conversation with me. Take a chance and invite them to coffee, lunch or a related activity.
Keep connected. Although I have moved several times in my life, I make time to keep in touch with the special friends I’ve met through the years. We connect by phone, email, even text (I am such a modern woman) and we make time to visit with each other periodically.
Your heart expands as it needs to. Remember telling your older child that the new baby doesn’t replace him/her—that your heart has enough room for both? The same works for friends. As I write this, the girl scout song I learned in childhood,“Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and other’s gold” is playing in my head.
If you’re like me, you realize that some of your silver friends have gradually turned gold. Treasure them all.
“We need old friends to help us grow old and new friends to help us stay young.”
Letty Cottin Pogrebin
How to Make Friends in a New Town
August 10, 2009 by admin
Filed under Relationships
Alex asked:
Making friends in new town can be quite difficult. Here are the five tips to make it simple.
First, ask someone to be your guide. People love to know that they can do something to help another person. Make it a point to tell people that you are new in town and ask them what they do for fun or what other people around there do for fun. If they are someone who has best friend potential, they are eventually going to extend an invitation.
Second, find something to get involved in which will connect you with other people. Just be sure that it is something which will keep your interest. This can be a church, a book club, or some type of volunteer organization. Anything where you actually have the chance to interact with other people. When you arrive make a note of who is there and find out how long they have been there and one thing which they are interested in.
The third step is a powerful follow up to step two: Introduce people to other people. This means that anyone whom you meet at a second or third meeting who is new, introduce them to the people who have been there for a while. When doing this, tell each one of them something about the other one, just to break the ice.
Fourth, begin to initiate meetings outside of the club or organization. Make the primary purpose of these meetings helping people to connect. The most powerful way to make new friends is to be a person who connects other people.
Finally, develop a plan for how to stay in touch with people. It is not enough to just drop them a line or an email when you remember. Set up your calendar and make your connections consistent and have them on a schedule. Eventually people will begin to build the expectation of hearing from you on a certain time or day. When you contact them, ask about what is going in their life instead of talking about yourself.
Making friends in new town can be quite difficult. Here are the five tips to make it simple.
First, ask someone to be your guide. People love to know that they can do something to help another person. Make it a point to tell people that you are new in town and ask them what they do for fun or what other people around there do for fun. If they are someone who has best friend potential, they are eventually going to extend an invitation.
Second, find something to get involved in which will connect you with other people. Just be sure that it is something which will keep your interest. This can be a church, a book club, or some type of volunteer organization. Anything where you actually have the chance to interact with other people. When you arrive make a note of who is there and find out how long they have been there and one thing which they are interested in.
The third step is a powerful follow up to step two: Introduce people to other people. This means that anyone whom you meet at a second or third meeting who is new, introduce them to the people who have been there for a while. When doing this, tell each one of them something about the other one, just to break the ice.
Fourth, begin to initiate meetings outside of the club or organization. Make the primary purpose of these meetings helping people to connect. The most powerful way to make new friends is to be a person who connects other people.
Finally, develop a plan for how to stay in touch with people. It is not enough to just drop them a line or an email when you remember. Set up your calendar and make your connections consistent and have them on a schedule. Eventually people will begin to build the expectation of hearing from you on a certain time or day. When you contact them, ask about what is going in their life instead of talking about yourself.
How to Make Friends With Your Loyal Customers
July 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Kaitlyn Miller asked:
You can’t make friends without talking to people. Even in today’s computer age, where people make “friends” online, they still interact in some way. As a businessperson, it is important for you to “make friends” with your most loyal customers. Doing so will not only benefit you through increased sales and positive word of mouth, but will also make your customers happier to be a part of your growth. That, in turn, will lead to more loyal customers and, of course, more profits. But the only way to enter into this type of relationship with your loyal customers is to talk to them.
Ask for feedback
You want to get as much feedback from your customers as possible, both positive and negative. On your product packages, ask for feedback and provide contact information so customers can reach you. When you design your next business card printing, include more than just your phone number and email address: explicitly ask the recipients to get in touch with you and tell you about their experiences with your company.
Make it clear that you are asking for all types of feedback, even if it’s not good. Customers who can give you examples of shortfalls in your business are the most valuable of all. You can’t fix something if you don’t know it’s broken.
Use the feedback in your advertising
The feedback you receive from customers is only valuable if you use it. Fix the things that customers have complained about, and emphasize the things that they like. When you do a flyer printing, use it to put your company’s greatest strengths on display. Even better, put customer testimonials on them. You will probably have plenty of loyal customers who would be more than happy to let you use their positive reflections in an ad or flyer. Customer testimonials can be tremendously effective.
Keep your loyal customers engaged
Once you have used customer feedback to alter your marketing strategies, don’t stop there. Keep interacting with these customers; keep “making friends” with them. Send them postcards asking for more feedback. A good idea is to offer your loyal customers special offers or bonuses, simply for being loyal customers. This can do a great amount of good, as it gives those customers a sense of privilege and honor. They may end up spreading the word about your company through personal experiences, which is the most valuable advertisement of all.
Invite your friends to a party
At some point, you may want to invite your loyal customers to a gathering with you and the leaders of your company. This can be a good way to let them know how important they are to you, and to reward them with an exclusive chance to interact with the decision makers in the company. It can also increase sales, as these customers are very likely to buy more of your product before, during, and after the meeting.
As a business, the best friends you can make are your customers. Never forget that they are the ones who will make or break your company.
You can’t make friends without talking to people. Even in today’s computer age, where people make “friends” online, they still interact in some way. As a businessperson, it is important for you to “make friends” with your most loyal customers. Doing so will not only benefit you through increased sales and positive word of mouth, but will also make your customers happier to be a part of your growth. That, in turn, will lead to more loyal customers and, of course, more profits. But the only way to enter into this type of relationship with your loyal customers is to talk to them.
Ask for feedback
You want to get as much feedback from your customers as possible, both positive and negative. On your product packages, ask for feedback and provide contact information so customers can reach you. When you design your next business card printing, include more than just your phone number and email address: explicitly ask the recipients to get in touch with you and tell you about their experiences with your company.
Make it clear that you are asking for all types of feedback, even if it’s not good. Customers who can give you examples of shortfalls in your business are the most valuable of all. You can’t fix something if you don’t know it’s broken.
Use the feedback in your advertising
The feedback you receive from customers is only valuable if you use it. Fix the things that customers have complained about, and emphasize the things that they like. When you do a flyer printing, use it to put your company’s greatest strengths on display. Even better, put customer testimonials on them. You will probably have plenty of loyal customers who would be more than happy to let you use their positive reflections in an ad or flyer. Customer testimonials can be tremendously effective.
Keep your loyal customers engaged
Once you have used customer feedback to alter your marketing strategies, don’t stop there. Keep interacting with these customers; keep “making friends” with them. Send them postcards asking for more feedback. A good idea is to offer your loyal customers special offers or bonuses, simply for being loyal customers. This can do a great amount of good, as it gives those customers a sense of privilege and honor. They may end up spreading the word about your company through personal experiences, which is the most valuable advertisement of all.
Invite your friends to a party
At some point, you may want to invite your loyal customers to a gathering with you and the leaders of your company. This can be a good way to let them know how important they are to you, and to reward them with an exclusive chance to interact with the decision makers in the company. It can also increase sales, as these customers are very likely to buy more of your product before, during, and after the meeting.
As a business, the best friends you can make are your customers. Never forget that they are the ones who will make or break your company.
How to make friends and improve social skills
Susmi asked:
As a famous proverb says “Birds of a feather flock together”, individuals with a common interest clutter to form a circle of friends. As a rule, friends are made when a person joins a particular stereotype in which he identifies himself. Usually, this type of bonding results in the formation of sub cultures. In my opinion, it’s always best to understand the core basics of every sub culture so that you can easily interact with people regardless of their age and gender. But, on the brighter side, interacting with different people enables an individual to develop on a higher level.
But the fact remains there are thousands of people out there who are unable to adjust to a society. In other words, they are labeled as social misfits. But, in most cases, people who are socially inactive are reported to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental disorders. In a psychological perspective, engaging in social activities helps in the enhancement of mental health of a person to a certain extend.
Very often, we come across people who are highly intelligent, yet they lack the basic abilities of social adoptions. Such people are those who make a very few friends at school and spend their free times by individual activities like reading and computer games. They are popularly labeled as ‘Nerds’ by the pop culture. Unfortunately, the folks out there fail to realize that the so called ‘nerds’ are ordinary people who lack interpersonal intelligence. According to Howard Gardner, a Harvard psychologist, interpersonal intelligence is one of the eight basics of human aptitude.
The good news is that social intelligence can be improved with much effort, just like any other intelligence. But on the other hand, studies have linked social competence with academic achievement. However, poor social skills are worse than poor spelling.
From an early age, a child learns the first lesson of social interaction from the mothers lap. This can be illustrated in the way a baby communicates to his or her mother for the basic needs. Say for example that he or she is hungry. The baby tries to convince this message by crying for food. As the baby grows up, he starts to interact with other people. Gradually, he learns to behave in accordance to his environment. In this way, he is transformed to a civilized individual.
In order to adapt to the social environment, one should take the initiatives to explore the vibes of the social life. Try to push yourself and remember that being a couch potato doesn’t help. Hopefully, you can make friends who have a common interest. But it’s not necessary that other people should have exactly the same interests as yours. Always remember the fact that each person has different tastes.
One of the best ways to enhance social interaction skill is to join a club or a sport team. For this, find out your area of expertise. Next, browse through the list of clubs that are established in your locality. Once you find the club that caters to your interest, find a way to join them.
Volunteering is also a great way to interact with new people. Try to participate in the developmental activities of your neighborhood. This method is useful for those people who have moved to a new city. By interacting with the neighbors, you can learn the general taste of the people.
Apart from this, some people find social networking sites as a platform to meet new people. But see for that you keep a distance with these virtual friends… mainly because, of their dark intentions which can trap you in situational predicaments…and beware of ******** and molesters out there!
Once you have mastered the techniques of social interaction, the next thing you have to do is to learn the tactics of effective communication. For this, you should also consider the view points of the other party. Remember not to rush in a conversation and also try to see for the fact that the decoder (the other party) understands your point of view… and always keep in mind to have a good eye contact and appropriate gesture. A bad body language sometimes reflects the level of self esteem and aggression. This is due to the fact that the other party can perceive your body language a subconscious level. Try not to hurt their ego by the use of abusive or rude language. Take care that you understand from their perspective. In this way you tend to agree with them. However, disagreeing to a certain extend is healthy for a good friendship. After all, this enables the latter to speculate from your point of view.
Another way to enhance the social skill is by pleasing others. Think twice before you speak and always believe in first impression. You can also try to highlight your positive traits. But never ever speak in a way that you are bragging or emphasizing your achievements. To show that you are not bragging, flattery to a certain level is required. On the other hand, too much of flattery can send a negative impression to the receiver. Indeed, you should be capable of keeping a balance between the both.
In addition to this, a positive outlook can bring a significant change in your social skills. For this reason, try not to judge people or label them as a particular stereotype. Always try to see something good in everyone. This kind of attitude can make you flexible and well adjusted. It’s always good to be jack of all trades so that you can start a conversation that they are interested in.
Thus, you can conclude that social skill is a method of mutual understanding and organized thinking.
As a famous proverb says “Birds of a feather flock together”, individuals with a common interest clutter to form a circle of friends. As a rule, friends are made when a person joins a particular stereotype in which he identifies himself. Usually, this type of bonding results in the formation of sub cultures. In my opinion, it’s always best to understand the core basics of every sub culture so that you can easily interact with people regardless of their age and gender. But, on the brighter side, interacting with different people enables an individual to develop on a higher level.
But the fact remains there are thousands of people out there who are unable to adjust to a society. In other words, they are labeled as social misfits. But, in most cases, people who are socially inactive are reported to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental disorders. In a psychological perspective, engaging in social activities helps in the enhancement of mental health of a person to a certain extend.
Very often, we come across people who are highly intelligent, yet they lack the basic abilities of social adoptions. Such people are those who make a very few friends at school and spend their free times by individual activities like reading and computer games. They are popularly labeled as ‘Nerds’ by the pop culture. Unfortunately, the folks out there fail to realize that the so called ‘nerds’ are ordinary people who lack interpersonal intelligence. According to Howard Gardner, a Harvard psychologist, interpersonal intelligence is one of the eight basics of human aptitude.
The good news is that social intelligence can be improved with much effort, just like any other intelligence. But on the other hand, studies have linked social competence with academic achievement. However, poor social skills are worse than poor spelling.
From an early age, a child learns the first lesson of social interaction from the mothers lap. This can be illustrated in the way a baby communicates to his or her mother for the basic needs. Say for example that he or she is hungry. The baby tries to convince this message by crying for food. As the baby grows up, he starts to interact with other people. Gradually, he learns to behave in accordance to his environment. In this way, he is transformed to a civilized individual.
In order to adapt to the social environment, one should take the initiatives to explore the vibes of the social life. Try to push yourself and remember that being a couch potato doesn’t help. Hopefully, you can make friends who have a common interest. But it’s not necessary that other people should have exactly the same interests as yours. Always remember the fact that each person has different tastes.
One of the best ways to enhance social interaction skill is to join a club or a sport team. For this, find out your area of expertise. Next, browse through the list of clubs that are established in your locality. Once you find the club that caters to your interest, find a way to join them.
Volunteering is also a great way to interact with new people. Try to participate in the developmental activities of your neighborhood. This method is useful for those people who have moved to a new city. By interacting with the neighbors, you can learn the general taste of the people.
Apart from this, some people find social networking sites as a platform to meet new people. But see for that you keep a distance with these virtual friends… mainly because, of their dark intentions which can trap you in situational predicaments…and beware of ******** and molesters out there!
Once you have mastered the techniques of social interaction, the next thing you have to do is to learn the tactics of effective communication. For this, you should also consider the view points of the other party. Remember not to rush in a conversation and also try to see for the fact that the decoder (the other party) understands your point of view… and always keep in mind to have a good eye contact and appropriate gesture. A bad body language sometimes reflects the level of self esteem and aggression. This is due to the fact that the other party can perceive your body language a subconscious level. Try not to hurt their ego by the use of abusive or rude language. Take care that you understand from their perspective. In this way you tend to agree with them. However, disagreeing to a certain extend is healthy for a good friendship. After all, this enables the latter to speculate from your point of view.
Another way to enhance the social skill is by pleasing others. Think twice before you speak and always believe in first impression. You can also try to highlight your positive traits. But never ever speak in a way that you are bragging or emphasizing your achievements. To show that you are not bragging, flattery to a certain level is required. On the other hand, too much of flattery can send a negative impression to the receiver. Indeed, you should be capable of keeping a balance between the both.
In addition to this, a positive outlook can bring a significant change in your social skills. For this reason, try not to judge people or label them as a particular stereotype. Always try to see something good in everyone. This kind of attitude can make you flexible and well adjusted. It’s always good to be jack of all trades so that you can start a conversation that they are interested in.
Thus, you can conclude that social skill is a method of mutual understanding and organized thinking.
How to Make Friends: Become a Chameleon
Tim Wright asked:
When you first meet someone, they immediately begin to make a decision as to whether or not they like you based on a number of different attributes.
One of the attributes that they evaluate you on is your personality you present. Notice that I didn’t say the personality that you have, but the personality that you present.
After all, you could have the most obnoxious personality on the planet (and it may be the case), but if when you meet someone, you display a very personable and agreeable personality, they will evaluate you on the personality you display or show them.
Even if others have prejudiced them against you, by presenting an agreeable personality and winning them over, they will be forced to say that in their experience, you actually have a great personality.
The personality that you display is an essential part of neutralizing the “fight or flight” response that every individual experiences when they meet someone new.
With this in mind, you can see why it is important to display the right personality to the right person at the right time.
So that all makes sense, but what is the right personality to display? The right personality to display is the one that mirrors the personality of the person you are trying to meet.
For example, if the person who you’re approaching is shy and soft spoken, you do not want to approach them in an “over the top” loud and obnoxiously friendly way – you’ll probably scare them.
Of course you want to approach them in a friendly and confident way, but you need to do so a calm and quiet manner, so that you become congruent with them, matching their personality type as closely as you can.
Doing this elicits a certain amount of trust and feelings of safety, as you meet them on their level and in such a way that they will be receptive of your advances.
Once you have connected with their personality, you want to try and subtly lead them into a friendly, positive state. If you can do this and make them laugh genuinely, you’re set.
When you first meet someone, they immediately begin to make a decision as to whether or not they like you based on a number of different attributes.
One of the attributes that they evaluate you on is your personality you present. Notice that I didn’t say the personality that you have, but the personality that you present.
After all, you could have the most obnoxious personality on the planet (and it may be the case), but if when you meet someone, you display a very personable and agreeable personality, they will evaluate you on the personality you display or show them.
Even if others have prejudiced them against you, by presenting an agreeable personality and winning them over, they will be forced to say that in their experience, you actually have a great personality.
The personality that you display is an essential part of neutralizing the “fight or flight” response that every individual experiences when they meet someone new.
With this in mind, you can see why it is important to display the right personality to the right person at the right time.
So that all makes sense, but what is the right personality to display? The right personality to display is the one that mirrors the personality of the person you are trying to meet.
For example, if the person who you’re approaching is shy and soft spoken, you do not want to approach them in an “over the top” loud and obnoxiously friendly way – you’ll probably scare them.
Of course you want to approach them in a friendly and confident way, but you need to do so a calm and quiet manner, so that you become congruent with them, matching their personality type as closely as you can.
Doing this elicits a certain amount of trust and feelings of safety, as you meet them on their level and in such a way that they will be receptive of your advances.
Once you have connected with their personality, you want to try and subtly lead them into a friendly, positive state. If you can do this and make them laugh genuinely, you’re set.
