I just chatted with my Uber driver.
Right now I am in transit from New Jersey to Connecticut.
I may have a new reader.
Old RB is skilled at inspiring strangers to become Blogging From Paradise readers.
Make no mistake though guys; I used to be shy. Online and especially offline.
But I saw the immense potential in connecting with and helping folks offline to drive traffic to my blog.
Follow these steps to drive blog traffic offline by chatting up strangers.
1: Be Pleasant and Inviting
Few human beings take interest in a rude, distant person.
I have been a pleasant person since I was a kid but felt paralyzed by crippling shyness for many years. Eventually I realized shyness is the fear of criticism and failure combined. I felt those fears and released these poisonous energies.
Now I smile and greet folks throughout the day in an offline setting, being pleasant and inviting, goading folks to let down their guard and chat with me.
Learn to smile at human beings. What are you afraid of? Say “Hello.” Most people are nice and like chatting a little bit if you take the initiative, smile and greet people.
2: Note Some Aspect of Your Chat Mate
Uber is fish in a barrel easy for striking up chats in my region of New Jersey because drivers hail from all over the globe. Speaking of someone’s homeland is an instant talking point/
Drivers from Iraq, UAE, Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh and Nigeria have picked me up.
After smiling and asking how my driver is doing I chat a little about the weather or traffic in New Jersey at the moment. I follow up asking about the driver’s homeland before becoming an American citizen.
Smiles ensue. People genuinely love talking about their homeland. Plus in the case of most of the countries above I visited a neighboring nation for a few months so we talked about customs and cultures in the region.
Seize this connecting factor guys. We are all human so we connect on countless levels. Learn to observe these connecting factors and strike up a chat to form a bond.
Possible chat topics include sports, clothing, families or various hobbies. I would avoid powder keg topics like religion or politics unless the person broaches the topic and you both agree.
3: Seamlessly Steer the Discussion to Your Blog
Find a connecting point between the conversation and your blog.
Easy peasy for me because all of these Uber drivers hailing from international locations ask how in the heck I see so much of the world, house sitting and renting spots all over the globe.
I mention blogging from paradise dot com is my site and how I help people become full time bloggers.
In some cases the driver bookmarks my blog on their phone after the ride.
In other cases the individual visits my blog after their work shift.
After buying frozen yogurt in Christchurch, New Zealand a few months ago I struck up a conversation with a woman working the counter. We chatted for a good 5 minutes about traveling, house sitting and how I help folks live a live of travel at Blogging From Paradise. On returning to the same shop the following week my frozen yogurt buddy noted how she visited my site a few times since our last contact and how she loved my content.
I’ve forgotten how many folks I have converted from seeming strangers into visitors or even loyal readers.
From the Scottish man I met on the Air Rail at JFK to the neighbor we met during out house sit in Fiji to the strap hanger who noticed my Blogging From Paradise T Shirt on the subway in NYC, being comfortable and clear enough on my blog and self to chat, connect with and mention my blog helped increase my traffic through this simple offline method.
Try it guys.
You’ll gain more confidence in your blog and self plus you’ll boost your blog traffic too.