The idea that you’re not likable is often a hard pill to swallow. And worse than a bruised ego, it can cost you money!
They say business is not personal, and you should not take anything about business personally…but most deals start on a personal level. If someone doesn’t like you – for whatever reason – it can cost you a job, a sale, a valuable contact, and ultimately it will hurt your success level.
Think about it. You meet prospects at networking events, social gatherings or are introduced by a mutual acquaintance. The first thing you do is stick out your hand and introduce yourself. And that’s where the likability factor enters.
Who knows why someone may or may not like you? It may be something you did or said or didn’t do or didn’t say. Maybe its just a perception the other person has about you. But you know what? The whys of likability aren’t as important as you might think.
If someone likes your or not is subjective. You can’t be all things to all people, and some people are just weird – plain and simple. Likability is a crap shoot. And yet there are a few things we can do in order to be more likable, at least enough to get past the initial handshake. Here are 5 easy tips for quickly becoming more likable:
- Smile
- Look the other person in the eye
- Ask them a question and actually listen to the answer
- Prove that you were listening to the answer, by asking them a follow up question related to their response
- Try to find what you may have in common with the other person
This last tip is crucial. Similarity is the key to likability. Plus it gives you an avenue to continue the conversation. Likability can be the deciding factor as to whether you’re successful or not. I say, don’t leave it to chance.
Give these five pointers a shot and let me know if it makes a difference in your next business (or personal) encounter.
