The Importance of Saying Hello and Being Friendly

How many times have you been at a restaurant where the person serving you did not show much interest in you? Have you been at restaurants where the server didn't respond to you trying to make small talk or really say much?

Chances are, we have all been in a situation where the person serving us at a restaurant, coffee bar or other establishment did not take the time to make small talk or seem interested in getting to know you. After this, you may have felt as if the person did not care or wanted to be at his or her job that day.

In certain situations, taking the time to make small talk with the people you come in contact can not only make someone's day but might make that person more responsive to you later on. Taking a few minutes to be friendly and asking how the other person's day is going can make a difference.

For example, as a photographer for Solon High School Football, I will often try and make small talk with the people who work the gates at the games, work the sidelines or talk to the police officers there. I don't have to say hello to these people, however, it makes a difference when someone is taking a couple of minutes to say "Hey, how are you doing?" or "How is your day going?" Taking a few moments to say hello to these people makes me a friendlier face and can make people more responsive and receptive to you later on.

When you are out and about at places you frequent often whether it is bars, restaurants or coffee shops, take a few minutes to say hello to the people serving you and ask about his or her day. You don't have to play a game of "20 Questions" but take some time to ask how the day is going, how long he or she has been there, or if a lot of people have come through. Take the time to listen to the answers and try and get a small conversation going. It might sound hard but if you take the time and listen and ask, you shouldn't have a problem getting something going.

In most every day situations, you don't have to say hello to others and be friendly but taking the time to do so can help you stand out from the rest for positive reasons.