How to Establish Trust When Meeting Someone New

When you meet someone for the first time, it can be awkward. You don’t know much about each other so it’s difficult to create a comfortable atmosphere and establish trust. Whether it’s a professional or personal situation, it’s important to learn how to earn people’s trust to form strong relationships.

In business especially, it’s crucial to gain the trust of your customers to produce sales and grow your audience. People aren’t quick to trust, so in any area of life, it’s important to learn how to navigate different social situations.

People have their own reasons for wanting to meet new people and try new things. Around 56 percent of people suffer from FOMO, or “fear of missing out.” People want to feel included in events and have active social lives, which pushes them to talk to new people and form new connections.

Whether you set a goal to make new friends, network, or connect with like-minded people, you first need to build mutual trust. Without it, your relationships lack authenticity and honesty. Here are a few ways to help you get started.

Use a Friendly Greeting

Who wants to have a conversation with someone cold, distant, and boring? No one, that’s who. If those words describe you when meeting someone new, then it’s no wonder you have difficulty creating a mutual trust.

First impressions are crucial. If someone’s first impression of you is negative, then the rest of the conversation is likely to follow suit.

You need to show enthusiasm and interest in the other person before you dive into a conversation, and that starts with your greeting. A smile goes a long way and shows the person you’re kind and well-mannered before you say a word. Using an easygoing tone also helps to lighten the mood and make them feel more comfortable.

Be Genuine

There’s nothing wrong with hyping someone up and using compliments to get on their good side. But it’s important not to exaggerate and to remain genuine with everything you do and say. If it isn’t the truth, then it’s best not to say anything at all.

Establishing trust means you need to be honest about what you think and how you feel. There’s no point in making a statement you don’t agree with or even agreeing with the other person if you have different opinions. This is what makes your conversation interesting and it can broaden your perspective.

It’s also important to show interest in the conversation and avoid making it about you. It’s important that you both share equally so each person feels heard and respected. Many people like to relate to others by telling their own stories, but you need to let the other person get their point across first.

Listen Intently

One of the most important aspects of establishing trust with someone is listening. And not just listening to listen, but listening to understand.

How would you feel if you shared something personal with someone and realized they were barely paying attention? It would make you question if they care about you and build resentment instead of trust.

For example, let’s say someone wants to ramble about their passion for creative photography, but you aren’t too keen on the subject. Show them respect by giving them your full attention whether you’re interested or not. You need to remember that someone is sharing their desires and vulnerabilities with you, which is difficult for most people. It’s a gift when someone decides to open up to you and show you a side that few get to see.

Ask Questions

The great part about listening to others is that they give you tons of information you can use to ask questions about. Sometimes, it can be difficult to come up with topics to discuss, but listening gives you plenty to work with.

For example, if someone mentioned before that they want to start a podcast, you can ask them more questions about it. What made them want to start a podcast? What topics do they like to discuss? It shows that you’re an active listener and are fully engaged in the conversation, which encourages them to continue sharing.

Remember Body Language

You don’t always have to use your words to express how you feel because your body gives away those signals for you. Many times, you don’t even notice how much your body language impacts your conversations and connections with others.

Body language includes:

• Facial expressions
• Body movements
• Eye contact
• Tone
• Touch
• Gestures

It’s the natural form your body takes on to send signals to others about how you’re feeling. Many people lack communication skills which makes it difficult to say how they truly feel. If you aren’t into the conversation or don’t care about what the person has to say, it’ll show through these signals.

How you physically react to someone says a lot about you and what you think of them. If your nonverbal communication shows that you’re uncomfortable, bored, or disinterested, it’ll fail to build trust.

Your Turn

Establishing trust with new people you meet can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Anyone can make new friends by listening, opening up, asking questions, and using appropriate nonverbal communication. How will you cultivate trust with new people moving forward?