I don’t think I’ve met someone who didn’t want to be well-liked. Most of the time, regardless if someone’s an introvert or an extrovert, they’ll want to be more likable.
However, for some, this isn’t as easy as it looks. They may have a harder time interacting with others or are simply not sure how to present themselves as likable.
Today, we’ll explore 6 communication tricks to become more well-liked among your friends and even strangers, according to psychology.
1) Use humor
Humor does wonders to break the ice between strangers and strengthen the connection between groups of people.
It not only disarms people and makes them grow closer to one another, according to research, but it also improves the well-being of the relationship when people laugh together as people feel a stronger sense of togetherness.
So if you’re trying to be a more likable person, try cracking jokes (tastefully, of course) or making witty remarks to make people laugh.
Of course, this is easier said than done.
To some, humor comes naturally, and to others, it takes a bit more practice. You could start by sharing funny incidents that happened in your life and ease that into conversations.
What’s important is that you’re willing to not only laugh with others but with yourself as well. This makes you a lot more presentable and relatable.
You’ll be one of the most engaging people in the room in no time.
2) Smile
Another trick to becoming more likable is to smile.
This may seem like a very obvious tip, but most people aren’t aware of how they present themselves when speaking to others.
They tend to focus on the verbal aspect, such as saying the right things and choosing the correct words, but non-verbal communication is equally important.
Not smiling, or unconsciously frowning all the time can be the cause of people finding you unfriendly. They may take a while to approach you because you, in short, scare them off!
In fact, smiling makes you a more attractive person. According to psychology, people view those who smile as more attractive than those who do not, and attractive people tend to be a lot more likable.
We tend to assume attractive people are more sociable and easier to interact with.
In short, if you want to become a more likable person, just smile!
3) Find common ground
People like it when their feelings and experiences are validated by others. It’s a way to foster a sense of community and belonging with like-minded individuals.
Psychology states that when people find similarities with others, it helps to form a trusting relationship because of a shared history, experience, or belief.
Humans are social creatures, so we tend to flock towards people who are familiar or those we can relate with.
Once, I saw two girls at a party talking to each other just because they were wearing the same outfit. They spent the entire evening chatting about their favorite styles, clothes, and stores they shopped at, which were all similar to each other.
Just like that, they made a friend, just because of a coincidence.
The next time you find yourself in a conversation with someone, try finding some similarities with the other person. The easier categories could be sports, food, pastimes, or entertainment.
You may even find someone to go to a concert with the next time your favorite artiste comes to town!
4) Compliment the other person
The thing about compliments is that they’re free!
There’s literally nothing stopping you from complimenting the people around you multiple times a day or week – except for maybe a general suspicion that you want something from them.
One of the easiest ways to make someone like you is to make them feel good. According to psychology, there’s a reward theory of attraction that explains how we tend to prefer people who reward us or whom we associate with good feelings.
However, it’s also important to not overdo it as you could come across as trying too hard. The key thing is to be positive and optimistic!
When you meet people, give them genuine compliments. It could be about their outward appearance, the work that they’re doing (in school or at work), or simply how they made you feel that day.
This will instantly make you a much more likable person.
5) Be genuine
It’s no surprise that the next on the list of tricks to become more likable is to be genuine.
So what does it mean to be authentic?
Authenticity means staying true to your values, beliefs, and principles. This prevents outward factors to pressure you into conforming to things that you do not believe in.
And people who tend to be more likable are those who bring their true selves wherever they go.
They speak their mind even though their opinions may not be the most popular ones.
This means that when you share your problems with them, you know that you will receive honest advice that is more helpful than someone who’s just trying to be nice to you.
You can also be rest assured that they will listen authentically as well; they do not let their judgments cloud their opinions of you, but instead, are fully attentive because they care about you.
It’s easy to identify people who try their best to behave a certain way to fit in, especially after knowing them for a while.
It’s normal, however, to want to conform to the majority to fit in. But truly likeable people will remain true to themselves.
6) Showing appreciation
Expressing our gratitude to the people around us is a habit that’s usually overlooked.
We may know that it’s important to show our appreciation for others, but most of the time it slips our minds.
According to psychology, gratitude plays a pivotal role in sustaining social bonds and building relationships, as some psychologists believe that it influences the perception of what we’ve done for others and what others have done for us.
When we show our gratitude, others feel appreciated and seen. This will also encourage them to help you out the next time you need assistance.
Likewise, when someone appreciates the effort we put into helping them, it motivates us to show up in the future. We don’t feel as if we’ve been taken for granted.
Therefore, if you want to become more likable, say ‘thank you’ more.
Send ‘thank you’ emails to coworkers who’ve rendered assistance, write them on sticky notes for your partner to find around the house, or simply text friends who’ve been there for you.
You’ll be surprised how these simple words can make you a much more likable person.
Concluding thoughts
While it’s important to be likable, it shouldn’t take precedence over being your genuine self. Creating meaningful connections through being attentive, authentic, and empathetic is key.
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