How to Be a People Magnet : Finding Friends--and Lovers--and Keeping Them for Life [Paperback]

Leil Lowndes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2002

"Humorous and wise . . . Lowndes helps readers focus on what's important and gives them a good chuckle along the way."
--Publishers Weekly

Making friends can be intimidating for anyone, especially if you are naturally shy. This can be an obstacle not only in social interactions but in romantic and work relationships as well. Now there is hope from communications expert Leil Lowndes's How to Be a People Magnet. The bestselling author of How to Make Anyone Fall in Love with You, Lowndes reveals specific and proven techniques for attracting friends and lovers and keeping them for life. She uncovers the secrets of attracting friends for fun and romance as well as networking to strengthen business contacts and relationships. Her advice is effective, yet easy for anyone--shy or bold--to implement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every single person I know asks, ‘How can I meet her/him?’ At last I have the answer—read this book!" -- Regis Philbin, talk-show host

"Never be intimidated again! The lost art or verbal communication may be revitalized by Leil Lowndes." -- Harvey Mackay, author of Swim with the Sharks

"You’ll not only break the ice, you’ll melt it away with your new skills." -- Larry King, talk-show host

Writing for both men and women, Lowndes focuses on what's important and gives readers a good chuckle along the way. -- Publisher's Weekly, January 15, 2001 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

Some folks are human magnets. People smile at them wherever they go. They have faithful friends who would do anything for them. They get invited to all the parties. They have more dates than they can handle. What's their secret? According to bestselling author Leil Lowndes, beloved and popular people know the secret of fearless communicating . . . and now you can, too. How to Be a People Magnet will teach you how to walk fearlessly into any situation with total confidence, authority, and flair and to walk away with whatever you want—a new friend, a new customer, or a new lover. You'll also learn how to:

• Make strangers like you instantly
• Stamp out that Fatal FUD Factor (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt)
• Make everyone around you feel singularly special
• Know when to smile, when not to smile, and why one size doesn't fit all
• Listen to someone's heart, not his or her words
• Fine-tune your tongue, depending on to whom you're talking
• Avoid the two biggest mistakes when meeting someone new
• Develop a round table of friends who will be there for you, whatever happens
• Market yourself like a Hollywood celebrity
• Benefit from the surprising studies on what separates social "winners" from social "losers"

Plus, you'll find out how to prevent simple shyness from trashing your life and why having a high OQ (Optimism Quotient) is the key to communication success.

Like Leil Lowndes's top-selling titles How to Make Anyone Fall in Love with You and How to Talk to Anybody About Anything, How to Be a People Magnet is brimming with helpful hints, tips, and ideas for approaching, attracting, and communicating with just about anyone. Whether you're a shy gal or guy or you're just looking for ways to improve your social skills, How to Be a People Magnet will show you exactly what's needed to successfully add new friends and lovers to your life. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (May 31, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809224356
• ISBN-13: 978-0809224357
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Everybody knows that authors write their own bios and comments! And most paint a rosy picture of their books. It's only natural. (Besides, their publishers would strangle them if they didn't.)

So my conscience lets me sleep at night I'm going to live dangerously and do something a little different. But don't tell my publisher! Because I want you to enjoy and get a lot out of any of my books that you choose, I'll give you my HONEST opinion of which ones are good, which are only OK, and which is lousy.

BTW, Meeting Planners, I don't want the photo to scare you away if you're looking for a speaker. I chose it because I always write in jeans, not the speech giving suit that's on my website. You'll find my speaker's bio there, www.lowndes.com

Back to books. IMHO, these first two books are fabulous and practically all readers will get a lot out of them.

HOW TO TALK TO ANYONE (92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships)
This book helps you become a confident and charismatic communicator in both social and business relationships. The techniques unique. You won't find them anywhere else, and they are easy to learn. Readers have sent me email from all over the world telling me how it has changed their lives. (BTW, "TALKING THE WINNER'S WAY," is the same book because it was the original title. So please don't make a mistake and buy both.

HOW TO INSTANTLY CONNECT WITH ANYONE (96 All-New Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships)
This book similar to HOW TO TALK TO ANYONE but with 96 more completely different techniques for creating and maintaining relationships. Please read the rave Amazon reviews to see how both books have helped others. Just like "How to Talk to Anyone," there is a shaded box at the end of each chapter summarizing the technique. (I like to call them "Little Tricks.")

UPDATING (How to Date Out of Your League)
Thus is a dumb superficial book which I wrote when I was going through a tough period in my life. Don't buy it. You'd be wasting your money.

HOW TO BE A PEOPLE MAGNET (Finding Friends and Keeping Them for Life)
This book is OK but readers over 25 may find this book a bit too basic. However it is helpful for younger readers because it covers some of the fundamental skills for making friends.

HOW TO MAKE ANYONE FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU (85 Scientifically Proven Ways)
If you're looking for love, this one is great. The title says it all! You won't find any touchie-feelie stuff here. Each of the unusual 85 techniques is based on solid research with the studies referenced in the appendix. Some are subtle. Some are outrageous. But the bottom line is, they all work - if you follow them correctly.

GOOD-BYE TO SHY (85 ShyBusters that Work!)
This fine book comes straight from heart. I wrote this one because I understand so well the nightmare that Shy people go through. I was painfully timid as a teen. In fact my "Social Anxiety Disorder" is what made me dedicate my life to helping others become better communicators. In this book, I give you 85 "ShyBusters," many of which cured my own shyness, and many based on the latest research. Hundreds of readers have written telling me that the book "cured" their shyness. And countless others who aren't shy have told me how the book boosted their confidence to greater levels.

HOW TO TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT ANYTHING (Breaking the Ice with Everyone from Accountants to Zen Buddhists)
I feel bad because the title is completely misleading. It sounds like it's communicating "techniques" similar to those in "How to Talk to Anyone" and "Instantly Connect." No, the book is just opening questions to ask people in a 100 different jobs and hobbies to make you sound like an insider and get good conversations going. It's useful for, say, salespeople or dentists who want to establish rapport with a wide variety of clients. Because of the confusion, I've taken the book off my website. If you're looking for techniques to become a better communicator, read the first two books in this list instead.

UNDERCOVER SEX SIGNALS (A Pick-up Guide for Guys)
OK, dude, this one's for you. Do you know that 97.6% of men in the world don't pick up on a woman's signals? They can't tell if a woman likes them or not? Yet, to us females, it's so obvious! Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I had 4 of my girlfriends, 3 of them top models, demonstrate the expressions and moves for you. When you learn to recognize them, you'll never strike out again. Why? Because, even before you make the first move, you'll know whether she likes you or not. Women, since men are so clueless, you can learn a lot from this book too. Just exaggerate each signal in the photos 10 times and guys MAY pick up on it!)

Most of my books are available in audio and for Kindle. If you're an audio-holic as I am, you'll find a complete list at my audio-publisher's website: http://www.listenandlive.com//advanced_search_result.php?osCsid=290102be0555c1bf04873a9b09e86388&keywords=Leil+Lowndes

Three short e-books just came out which are excerpts from "How to Talk to Anyone" and "How to Instantly Connect With Anyone."
If you have those two books, don't get:
BE CONFIDENT AND CHARISMATIC,
LOOK LIKE A SUCCESS, or
WIN ANYONE OVER
They are pretty much the same material.

Forgive me if I sound schmaltzy now. But I truly care about my readers and want you to buy only the books which are right for you. I'm grateful that you read them and am so happy when you write to tell me how they've helped your life. You can ask me questions and read my blog on my website, www.lowndes.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Great Disappointment, February 1, 2001

By 

iamperfect "iamperfect" (Ann Arbor, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Be a People Magnet : Finding Friends--and Lovers--and Keeping Them for Life (Hardcover)

I have read all of her previous books and generally speaking, I feel that she is an excellent author. I even went so far as to pre-order this book before it was released. However, let me warn you, this book fails to live up to her previous books.

To put it simply: it is a disappointment. There are some excellent points made in this book, but they are the same as advice that can be found in her previous books. For example this book claims to: "Make strangers like you instantly; Make everyone around you feel special; Give the response that separates social 'winners' from social 'losers.' " Unfortunately, this book falls flat on its face delivering these points when compared to her previous book: Talking the Winner's Way: 92 Little tricks... This book does deliver, but in a more eloquent and applicable manner.

Your money and time would be better spent buying or, if you already own, it re-reading her earlier book: Talking the Winner's Way. Best of all, this advice saves you money as this book is out in paperback!

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Things I needed to learn, February 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Be a People Magnet : Finding Friends--and Lovers--and Keeping Them for Life (Paperback)

I really needed to hear some suggestions on developing/maintaining and nuturing friendships. This book was more than I could have hoped for at a time in my life when I needed friends the most and didn't seem to have any. It gave me the tools I needed to do just that and more. I'm finding it fun to work on "Knights At My Round Table." I'm learning how to develop friendships with all different types of people - people I really like who may not necessarily like each other.
Leil shares some very personal experiences in her book - experiences that are only printed words to people who have not gone through them. She talks about the importance of having friends during these times. Friends who do things for you without asking "why or how." Friends who help us live our lives when we have trouble remembering how.
I'll never be without friends now after reading this book. It's helped to change my life and see what's most important to me in addition to my immediate family.

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars People Magnet is cutting edge material for the 21st Century, March 18, 2001

By 

Howard Fields (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Be a People Magnet : Finding Friends--and Lovers--and Keeping Them for Life (Hardcover)

As a person, who is involved in a very ethnically, racially, and educationally diverse community, and also happily employed in the human services profession, I read People Magnet, by Leil Lowndes. I read it for both business and personal reasons, as I am, surprisingly, very shy in my personal life. I finished the book less than two weeks ago and have seen immediate improvements in both my personal and business life; from getting along with people who others in my business circle label as "very difficult" - to closer relationships with the important people in my life. Also, this week, I have been able to ask for and be accepted for a date, with a woman, who I have been wanting to get to know better, but was too shy to ask out for almost a year now! In summary, reading this book has been like participating in the best quality personal presentation seminar. However, I've paid hundreds of dollars to attend such seminars and have not achieved the results that I have already achieved after two reads of Ms. Lowndes' book. Of course, it is a book I will reread again over and over.

Ms. Lowndes book is different not only in content from the standard conversational improvement books, but the process of reading the book requires active reader participation and the signing of contracts and clauses throughout the book to engender more commitment. The book is written from the heart and speaks to issues of the growing isolation and alienation that are so real in the year 2001. I have read many of the top ranked books on personality improvement, conversation improvement, etc. by many of the best known authors of today and yesterday, but I found Ms. Lowndes book to be most down to earth, while the facts are supported by research, testimonials, and an extensive bibliography. Most important, this book spoke to the heart. I am buying one copy for the office, one for home, one to carry around with me at all times, and an extra copy to give to someone who I think can use it, as I am so impressed by this book.