Okay, you’ve met some nice people and collected some numbers. What do you do now?
Maintain contact. Once a week, shoot your new friends a quick phone call or e-mail. Stop worrying about whether or not they like you, it’s really whether or not you like them. After all, your goal is to meet a lot of great people!
Do nice things. If someone has a birthday, send a card. If you read an article that matches your friend’s unique interest, pass it along.
Plan group activities. Group activities are the best for building relationships. It takes the pressure off everyone involved and if the conversation lags, you simply start talking to someone else for awhile. So plan a lunch and invite a handful of your new friends!
New Friends and Old
By now, you’ve gotten to know some new people and have decided who you like and who you’d rather not get closer to. So, it’s time to mix them into your group!
Plan a cheese and wine party at your house. Make a third of the party new people and be sure to introduce everyone to each other.
Select friends that have unique things in common. Invite an old friend and a new friend to an activity with you.
Ask your new friends if they have friends they think you should meet.
Friendship Overload
What a great problem! You now have more friends than you know what to do with – and you didn’t even win the lottery.
Just be sure to make time for yourself in the midst of your new social life. After all, an interesting, interested person always makes a good friend!