If small talk is not your cup of tea and you struggle to initiate a conversation, this article might help you!
While engaging in small talk may seem effortless to some, there are people who find it extremely difficult to start a simple dialogue. These are the ones who prefer to have deeper conversations with others regarding thought-provoking, interesting, and even fascinating subjects. But oftentimes, you cannot indulge in a highly inspirational discussion if you do not go through a simple, yet challenging small talk session.
If you wish to get better at small talk, here are 7 useful hacks you should definitely try:
1. Ask them about themselves.
This might be one of the best ways to hit it off with someone, especially if small talk is not your superpower. Everyone loves talking about themselves. As soon as you give them the opportunity to tell you the most intriguing facts about their persona, they will be glad to tell you their engaging stories. Asking someone about their lives is a decent first step towards initiating a meaningful conversation.
2. Mirror their behavior.
As long as you are not a creeper, you can safely try out mirroring. This particular technique will help you get on the same wavelength as the person you are trying to converse with. Besides, mimicking their behavior will add a dash of authenticity and relatability to your image. Just make sure it does not look like you are trying too hard.
3. Learn how to ask the right questions.
Questions have the power to engage people’s minds. The question mark makes us automatically perceive that this is not the end of the discussion. Therefore, the more questions you ask, the more interested the other party will be in the conversation. As already mentioned, everyone loves talking about themselves, so you might try to start just there.
4. Avoid gossiping as much as possible.
Whenever you are discussing other people, always remember to show a positive attitude. Giving in to nasty gossips will most likely ruin your reputation and give off the wrong impression about you. After all, you never know others’ stories entirely, so spreading hurtful rumors about them only makes you look worse. On the other hand, displaying a positive mindset while talking about someone else says that you are a trustworthy person. Hopefully, that is the personal quality you want others to see in you.
5. Echo the last three words as a question.
This hack will surely come in handy in situations when you lose interest in the conversation. Zoning out at times is perfectly normal, plus there are ways you can cover it up. Echoing the last three words that the other person said and turning them into a question will help you get back on track. Besides, it will give them the impression that you are genuinely interested in what they are talking about.
6. Compliments are your best friends.
Don’t you just love hearing nice things about yourself? Well, we all do. The best thing about this fact is that you can use it for your own advantage. When you compliment someone, and your words sound authentic, this person naturally ends up liking you a lot more than before. This inevitably helps make the atmosphere much more friendly and comfortable for establishing a meaningful dialogue.
7. Be honest!
Honesty is the best policy. It never fails to impress people, and you can safely go to sleep with a crystal clear consciousness. Besides, being honest will open many doors before you. Most importantly, it helps you win the trust and respect of the ones around you. At the end of the day, the truth always comes out, so you might as well be real from the very beginning. Small talks offer you the perfect foundation for that.
