How To: Make friends in a crowd of strangers

Striking up a conversation with a group of people you don't know can be an intimidating task. Come prepared with some interesting comments and ideas and you will be able to make new friends out of any crowd.

Don't be a wallflower. Score some pals with these tips.

You Will Need

  * Interesting comment
  * Friendly body language

Step 1: Look for topics

Before you join the crowd, find something interesting to comment on. It could be something general, like a recent headline, or something related to the event you're attending.

Step 2: Sow seeds of conversation

Notice where people are congregating and join a group. At a pause in the conversation, bring up the comment you thought of earlier. After exchanging a few words, excuse yourself and repeat the process, making the same comment to a few other groups. Make sure to keep track of who you've talked to.

Step 3: Settle on a conversation

After talking with several different groups, settle in to one conversation. Ask an open-ended question, comment on something in their response, and establish a natural flow of conversation.

When you show genuine interest in someone, they perceive you as interesting.

Step 4: Use body language

Use body language to make people feel comfortable. Smile to show interest, keep your shoulders back to give the impression of self-confidence, and use eye contact to build trust.

Step 5: Invite others in
When people who you spoke with earlier walk by, include them in the conversation by telling them what you're talking about and asking their opinion. The people you talked to in the beginning are more likely to join your conversation because you've already established a rapport with them. Most people don't like talking to complete strangers.

Step 6: Let the conversation go

Let the conversation take on a life of its own. Congratulations! You're now the social butterfly you always knew you were.