For years I made it a point to find out the birthdays of my friends.How？Although I haven’t the foggiest bit of faith in astrology，I began by asking the other party whether he believed the date of one’s birth has anything to do with character and disposition.I then asked him or her to tell me the month and day of birth.I wrote down the name and birthday and later would transfer it to a birthday book.What a hit it made！I was frequently the only person on earth who remembered.
If we want to make friends，let’s greet people with animation and enthusiasm.When somebody calls you on the telephone use the same psychology.Say “Hello”in tones that bespeak how pleased you are to have the person call.Many companies train their telephone operatars to greet all callers in a tone of voice thatradiates interest and enthusiasm.The caller feels the company is concerned about them.Let’s remember that when we answer the telephone tomorrow.
Showing a genuine interest in others not only wins friends for you，but may develop in its customers a loyalty to your company.In an issue of the publication of the National Bank of North America of New York，the following letter from Madeline Rosedale，a depositor，was published：
“I would like you to know how much I appreciate your staff.Everyone is so courteous，polite and helpful.What a pleasure it is，after waiting on a long line，to have the teller greet you pleasantly.“Last year my mother was hospitalized for five months.
Frequently I went to Marie Petrucello，a teller.She was concerned about my mother and inquired about her progress.”
Is there any doubt that Mrs.Rosedale will continue to use this bank？
C.M.Knaphle，Jr.，of Philadelphia had tried for years to sell fuel to a large chain-store organization.But the chain-store company continued to purchase its fuel from an out-of-town dealer and haul it right past the door of Knaphle’s office.Mr，Knaphle made a speech one night before one of my classes，pouring out his hot wrath upon chain stores，branding them as a curse to the nation.
And still he wondered why he couldn’t sell them.
I suggested that he try different tactics.To put it briefly，this is what happened.We staged a debate between members of the course on whether the spread of the chain store is doing the country more harm than good.
Knaphle，at my suggestion，took the negative side；he agreed to defend the chain stores，and then went straight to an executive of the chain-store organization that he despised and said：“I am not here to try to sell fuel.I have come to ask you to do me afavor.”He then told about his debate and said，“I have come to you for help because I can’t think of anyone else who would be more capable of giving me the facts I want.I’m anxious to win this debate，and I’ll deeply appreciate whatever help you can give me.”
Here is the rest of the story in Mr.Knaphle’s own words：
I had asked this man for precisely one minute of his time.It was with that understanding that he consented to see me.After I had stated my case，he motioned me to a chair and talked to me for exactly one hour and forty-seven minutes.He called in another executive who had written a book on chain stores.He wrote to the National Chain Store Association and secured for me a copy of a debate on the subject.He feels that the chain store is rendering a real service to humanity.He is proud of what he is doing for hundreds of communities.His eyes fairly glowed as he talked，and I must confess that he opened my eyes to things I had never even dreamed of.He changed my whole mental attitude.
As I was leaving，he walked with me to the door，put his arm around my shoulder，wished me well in my debate，and asked me to stop in and see him again and let him know how I made out.The last words he said to me were：“Please see me again later in the spring.I should like to place an order with you for fuel.”
To me that was almost a miracle.Here he was offering to buy fuel without my even suggesting it.I had made more headway in two hours by becoming genuinely interested in him and his problems than I could have made in ten years trying to get him interested in me and my product.
You didn’t discover a new truth，Mr.Knaphle，for a long time ago，a hundred years before Christ was born a famous old Romanpoet，Publilius Syrus，remarked；“We are interested in others when they are interested in us.”
A show of interest，as with every other principle of human relations，must be sincere.It must pay off not only for the person showing the interest，but for the person receiving the attention.It is a two-way street-both parties benefit.
Martin Ginsberg，who took our Course in Long Island New York，reported how the special interest a nurse took in him profoundly affected his life：
“It was Thanksgiving Day and I was ten years old.I was in a welfare ward of a city hospital and was scheduled to undergo major orthopedic surgery the next day.I knew that I could only look forward to months of confinement，convalescence and pain.My father was dead；my mother and I lived alone in a small apartment and we were on welfare.My mother was unable to visit me that day.
“As the day went on，I became overwhelmed with the feeling of loneliness，despair and fear.I knew my mother was home alone worrying about me，not having anyone to be with，not having anyone to eat with and not even having enough money to afford a Thanksgiving Day dinner.
“The tears welled up in my eyes，and I stuck my head under the pillow and pulled the covers over it，I cried silently，but oh so bitterly，so much that my body racked with pain.