8 Ways to be Friendlier When Greeting People (2024)

We greet people dozens of times every day — neighbors, family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, strangers, clerks, cashiers, servers, etc. Whether the greeting lasts a fleeting moment or blossoms into a conversation, the goal of greeting others is to have a positive interaction.

Being friendly isn’t complicated, but understanding how to be friendly and doing it every day can take practice to make it habitual.

People might be busy, shy, introverted, nervous and unconfident to greet others. Putting them at ease by initiating a greeting makes everyone feel good. After all, greetings can lead to conversation and conversation is exercise for our mental health.

In this post, I’m going to share 8 ways to be friendlier when greeting people.

To respect others, we should acknowledge them — acknowledge people we know or are acquainted with and acknowledge people we see during routines or rituals (e.g. morning walks, church). We should also acknowledge people who enter a small space that we’re occupying or when we enter a small space they’re occupying (e.g. elevator). Finally, we should acknowledge people we pass in environments that we live, work or regularly visit (e.g. apartment, cafeteria, gym).

Even if you might never see the person again, try to be friendly and create a positive interaction. You’ll make someone feel good because you’ve acknowledged them and you’ll feel better about yourself too.

Acknowledging others can be done verbally with a short greeting or nonverbally with a gesture (e.g. smile, wave, nod, thumb’s up).

Verbal Greetings

Acquaintance A: Good afternoon.
Acquaintance B: Hi.

Friend A: How’ve you been?
Friend B: Good. How about you?

Aunt: How’s it goin’?
Nephew: Pretty good. Yourself?

Passerby A: What’s up?
Passerby B: Not much.

Server: How’s everyone doin’?
Diner: Good. I see you’re busy tonight.

Stranger A: How are you?
Stranger B: How’s it going?

Neighbor A: What floor?
Neighbor B: Seven, please.

Nonverbal Greetings

Walker: How are you?
Jogger: [smiling and nodding].

Restaurant Manager: Hello folks. How’s everything?
Guest: [smiling and chewing — gives the manager a thumb’s up].

Pro Tip
Responding to greetings with too much information can be a cultural faux pas and is often misunderstood by visitors to the U.S. This happens because they don’t realize that ‘How are you?’ isn’t a question when greeting others, but a greeting just like Hey, Hi or Hello.

If you can’t make eye contact with others, don’t engage them. However, once you’ve made eye contact, don’t wait for others to greet you. Take the initiative.

Customer: [making eye contact] How’s your day going?
Cashier: Not too bad.

Whether you’re greeting someone verbally or nonverbally, do it with a smile. Without a smile, greetings sound like unenthusiastic questions in a monotone.

Adopt a policy of being polite and courteous to everyone. Be civilized and display proper etiquette like holding doors open for others, wearing a mask in public (i.e. COVID-19), pushing the elevator button for someone, etc.

Resident A: [carrying several shopping bags] Good evening.
Resident B: Let me get the gate for you. Looks like you’ve got your hands full.

Customer A: [looking around the coffee shop for an extra chair].
Customer B: [sliding a chair to the woman] You can have this chair.

Unless you know the person you’re greeting very well, avoid complaining, gossiping and being negative. Keep greetings and responses positive.

❌
A: Hey, there. How’s it goin’?
B: I’m pissed off. I’ve been waiting in this line for 40 minutes!

✔️
A: Hey, there. How’s it goin’?
B: Ok. How are you?

When we’re confident, we speak better, act better and make fewer mistakes because we’re relaxed. When we’re unconfident, we stutter, fidget and make more mistakes because we’re uncomfortable. When greeting others, aim to send a message of confidence.

If you show interest in others, they’ll enjoy seeing you. Ask questions about them and ask for their opinions. After all, we like people, when they like us. Eventually, the person might begin to show interest in you, but don’t be upset if they don’t.

Customer: How’s your day goin’?
Cashier: Pretty good. Thanks for asking. How are you today?

Receptionist: Hiya doin’?
Patient: Doin’ good. [reading her name tag] I love your name — Uma.

Father: How are you?
Son: Ok.
Father: How was your trip?
Son: Good.
Father: What’d you do?
Son: We surfed a lot.
Father: Which island did you visit?
Son: Oahu. We went to Banzai Pipeline. Have you heard of the Pipeline?

Pro Tip
Listen to how others speak (e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives) and parrot that language back to them. When people hear their own words, it makes them feel that we share their values, interests and feelings.

When greeting others, try to remember them, their name or something unique about them. The more you can remember, the more they’ll be impressed if you meet them again.

Mall Walker A: Good mornin’.
Mall Walker B: Morning’. Sorry to be late.
Mall Walker A: No worries. You just got back from a cruise to Antarctica, didn’t you?
Mall Walker B: That’s right!

Full-Time Employee: Hey, it’s good to see you again, Jill.
Part-Time Employee: [looking at her hair] I love the new style! When’d you change the color?
Full-Time Employee: Thanks! Well, I had it done over the weekend.

You just learned 8 ways to be friendlier when greeting people. Be friendly and enjoy meeting others and they’ll enjoy meeting you too! Do it every day to make it habitual.