How to Start Conversations
July 5, 2007 by Greg
A few years ago I decided to start talking to more people. After a lot of reading and experimenting I’ve picked up a few tricks. It’s not uncommon for one of my shier friends to ask for advice on how to make small talk. Now, thanks to lifehack, I’ve got a good resource to point them to.
The article covers conversation initiation from a variety of perspectives. Here are a few of my favorite selections.
On selection…
I’m of the ilk that likes to talk to everyone and anyone. Everyone has a story and good personalities. Some are harder to get to than others, but if you’re on a people-finding excursion, like I usually am, then everyone is pretty much fair game.
On social proof…
People notice other people who are having a blast. If you’re that person, someone will acknowledge it and will make the ‘across the room rapport’ building a breeze. If you’re that person that is getting along great with their present company, others will want to talk to you. This will make your approach more comfortable for both parties.
On reaching out…
When someone is alone and looks bored, do them a favor and approach them. No matter how bad the conversation might get, they should at least appreciate the company and friendliness.
Check out the full article for more.
Greg has definitely opened my eyes to the benefits of ‘reaching out’ to someone by themselves.
for some reason the attatched picture at the top of the article amused me way too much today.
made some great friends reaching out at the bar. it’s always fun to just include random people who are in the periphiary around your group into the conversation and see where that leads.
They should’ve included….
“When in doubt, play the slappy game…”