Ways To Get Better At Small Talk

You're at a company gathering or a party with friends, but you hardly know anyone there.

Talking to people can be a chore, especially if you aren't very outgoing, and engaging in "small talk" may seem like no small task.  But what if we could give you a couple of tips to make it easier.

1. Ask open ended questions, not something that can be answered with a simple yes or no...this engages people and helps them to speak.
2. Tell stories something that will add to the conversation, something that is you can may have experienced.
3. Pay attention to people who are good at it like TV Hosts.
4. Don't feel bad about saying you "hate small talk", that in itself may lead to another topic.

Anchor: Find something you two have in common right now. For example, "This cocktail is really fancy -- what's in it?"

Reveal: Share something personal with the other person. For example, "I tried a similar cocktail at a beach bar in Malibu last year and it blew me away."

Encourage: Invite them to share something personal. For example: "I can see it in your eyes that you hate cocktails. You are more of a whiskey drinker, aren't you?"

Be honest and encourage the other people to do the same.

(Indy 100)