Effective Small Talk

Engaging in effective small talk is an important skill; finding friends, making a good impression, and becoming more comfortable approaching others can all become much simpler by following a few simple tips. 


Firstly ensure that the person you want to engage with is a good potential candidate for conversation. 

Are they wearing headphones?  Finding people who have open body language and are using nonverbal cues to express they are available for communication is a good place to start. 


Next, you must choose a conversation starter.  People like to talk about themselves, asking them a question or commenting about the situation or something they have with them are solid places to start.  Actually, in general, asking questions is one of the most crucial points of effective small talk because it allows your conversation partner to talk about themselves and also shows your interest in them. 


Often, we initiate conversations with close ended questions such as asking their name or where they are from.  These are good sometimes, but they can lead to awkwardness because they are very short interactions. 

Try to incorporate open ended questions that might include asking about their like or dislikes or how they became interested in something.   These questions allow for opportunities to exchange extra information that are potential further conversation topics. 


Ideally, both parties will exchange this free information when they are answering questions or responding to their partner’s answer.