How to Talk to Anyone
by Leil Lowndes · first published 1999
76% recommend24% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Practical, easy-to-digest collection of 92 short tips on conversation, body language and making people comfortable; suits engineers, salespeople and networkers who find small talk hard and want actionable advice.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
“You’ll not only break the ice, you’ll melt it away with your new skills.” — Larry King“The lost art of verbal communication may be revitalized by Leil Lowndes.” — Harvey McKay, author of “How to Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive”What is that magic quality makes some people instantly loved and respected? Everyone wants to be their friend (or, if single, their lover!) In business, they rise swiftly to the top of the corporate ladder. What is their “Midas touch?”What it boils down to is a more skillful way of dealing with people.The author has spent her career teaching people how to
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…socialize with the host, a chance you might not get when the party has already started, especially if you're on the shy side of the spectrum. Arriving early to parties is one of the tips in Leil Lowndes' "How to talk to anyone"[1] that I read and can recommend. 1] https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Anyone-Success-Relationships...
on “Under 'Kenyan Time,' You're Expected To Arrive, Oh, Whenever” ↗…me money): * Tom Hopkins - How To Master The Art Of Selling (some of it is a bit American but the overall concepts learned here are priceless) * Harry Beckwith - What Clients Want * Leil Lowndes - How to Talk to Anyone (not directly sales, but this is a massive part of it nonetheless) * Sam Horn - POP! Stand Out In Any Crowd (this will help you hone your message - learning to sell is good, but if your message sucks,…
on “Ask HN: Recommended books for a sales newbie?” ↗For starters, I'd recommend 'How to win friends and influence people' by Dale Caregie and 'How to talk to anyone' by Leil Lowndes. Freelancing to pay bills also turns out to be a big distraction. I'd recommend exploring other creative ways that don't take your focus off of your startup to pay (or avoid) your bills.
on “Ask HN: So I quit my job to focus on my startup...” ↗…the ability to explain concepts and show how what you're doing is useful to people puts you way above most, especially in heavily technical fields where communication is often lacking. Leil Lowndes' "How to Talk to Anyone" is a more modern take on the subject that I found valuable.
on “Ask HN: Getting back into the working world with a negative track record” ↗For #3, I strongly recommend Leil Lowndes's How to Talk to Anyone. It directly addresses those ways to make people comfortable that are typically not plainly laid out. Everything is in easy to digest chunks, the book can be read nonlinearly, and it's held up over time.…
on “Why Nerds are Unpopular (2003)” ↗I enjoyed 'How to talk to anyone' - http://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Anyone-Success-Relationships/... for general advice. There is also Dale Carnegie's 'How to win friends and influence people' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influen...…
on “The Growing Importance of Social Skills in the Labor Market [pdf]” ↗Im in the middle of readin "How to Talk To Anyone" by Liel Lowndes. I think it might be the solution to your "obnoxious" problem. It puts together 92 tips for improving your body language and the impression you make on people. I've found it useful.
on “Social Skydiving Day 50: Checking In” ↗I don't know the parent commenter, but I am confident he or she would not characterize that as luck. Here's a book that can help you stop thinking it has anything to do with luck: How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships [1] [1] https://amazon.com/How-Talk-Anyone-Success-Relationships/dp/...
on “How Social Isolation Is Killing Us” ↗…networking with other people. I can recommend a few books I appreciated the most: 1. "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie - somewhat outdated but still gives a lot of basics. 2. "How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships" by Leil Lowndes - more modern but not necessarily perfect, although I found a few important things for myself. 3. "How to Talk to Absolutely Anyone:…
on “Ask HN: Am I introverted, or just rude?” ↗How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships by Leil Lowndes This book helped me handle introductions, small talk, and getting to know people better at a deeper level with so much less anxiety…
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life?” ↗Weird one, "How to talk to anyone" by Leil Lowndes, bought because someone else recommended, no idea about the scientific merit of anything in it. It helped me not just make sense of how to navigate social situations, but also how to…
on “Ask HN: Do you recall any book or course that made a topic finally click?” ↗„How to talk to anyone” by Leil Lowndes is also a great and actionable book. +1 for scepticisms towards pickup artistry. I'd rather aim for „how can I become the person that women actually want“.
on “Ask HN: How do you overcome feeling completely lost in life?” ↗This book by Leil Lowndes helped me a lot, I highly recommend it: How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships https://a.co/d/cinkdXJ
on “Talking to Strangers” ↗Leil Lowndes' "How to Talk to Anyone" is an excellent primer.
on “Ask HN: How to make smalltalk?” ↗…flat on your face, but would you rather not try? There are several books that can help, if you like to read up on it, two come to mind - 1. How to Win Friends & Influence People 2. Never Eat Alone 3. How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships Good luck!
on “Ask YC: How to Hack & Have a Social Life” ↗