7 Tips You Need to Know to Be Interesting Without Saying a Word
Nonverbal communication conveys emotions, thoughts, and needs without using verbal cues. It is also important for many psychological processes, including the way you present yourself and your social influence.
5-Minute Crafts is here to give you a hand in becoming more likable with some proven and simple tips related to nonverbal communication.
1. Make subtle physical contact.
Psychologists claim that if we casually touch the person we speak to, it may actually enhance our chances of being liked by that person. But it has to be a physical contact that barely gets noticed. If you gently tap someone’s arm or back while passing by, you might be more likely to start a conversation with them or initiate a successful courtship.
Another study has shown that subtle tactile contact on the hand or shoulder also turned out to be an effective approach to getting more restaurant tips.
2. Hand a warm beverage to the person you are talking to.
Experts say that people consider warmth as a very powerful personality trait in social interaction and judgment. Research has shown that there is a connection between the physical warmth we experience in a situation and how we feel toward people who surround us at that moment. In other words, people react to physical warmth by feeling an increased interpersonal warmth. That means we will judge a person we speak to as generous or caring, without even being aware of it.
Therefore, a good strategy in making someone like you would be handing them a cup of hot tea or coffee before starting the conversation with them.
3. Mirror the person you are with.
The “mirroring” strategy means you are basically subtly imitating another person’s actions. It can be anything — from mimicking gestures to facial expressions and body language. According to the results of psychological research, the so-called “chameleon effect” actually led to an increased liking and a smoother interaction between people. However, beware that it can be effective only if you do it cautiously.
4. Keep your posture in mind.
Although people are often not aware of this, our posture — and body language in general — can impact our self-confidence big time. If you stand tall, keep your head up high and your shoulders back, you will feel good and leave an impression of a healthy, capable, and confident person.
On the other hand, sagging shoulders or slumped posture will not make people see you as a confident person, but rather as someone who does not put in any effort.
5. Let others share their thoughts and feelings.
In general, we as human beings appreciate it when we can communicate our thoughts and feelings or just share information about ourselves with others. Harvard experts have researched the functioning of cognitive mechanisms related to reward and have come to the conclusion that they were most active when the participants of the experiment knew that they could speak about their personal experiences.
This is why you should make sure you let others share information about themselves to try to boost their affinity.
6. Put a (big) smile on your face.
Smiling seems to be another powerful tool in getting people to feel warm about you. The results of another psychological experiment suggested that the participants liked people who they saw smiling more than those who didn’t have a smile on their faces.
✅ Interesting fact: it has been proven that even online interaction will feel more positive if people post avatars with a bigger, digitally enhanced smile, rather than a “normal” one. That implies we should not be shy about displaying a huge smile when we interact with others. Research proves that smiling can be heard in a person’s voice, even if you don’t see the person.
7. Send the right signals with your clothing.
One of the most obvious tools we can use to give non-verbal cues is our clothing. What you wear can say a lot, not only about your personal preferences or financial status but also about how you feel about yourself.
Some scholars claim that you send important social signals with the way you dress, as it shows your identity. You can give away some personal information with your clothing, like how much power you wield, how much influence you have, or even how smart you are.
Our dress-to-impress tips:
✅ You must feel comfortable in what you wear. If it feels tight or inappropriate, it’s just not worth it.
✅Use clothes to emphasize your best assets. Choose clothes that flatter your figure.