Although conversation starters are steep hurdles for most of us, mastering them is a valuable communication skill to use in business and social settings. Proficiency will help you break the awkward silence when you first meet someone for the first time.

Kasturi Roy at LifeHack.org in “10 Ways Smart People Start Conversations With Anyone” gives you ten sentences to use to begin a conversation.

10 Ways Smart People Start Conversations With Anyone

The heading is not to say that some people are smart while conversing and that others are just plain stupid. These following sentences are some of the ways of starting or continuing an informed and interesting conversation that is not only a pleasure to others but of great interest to you. “That is such a great pin/ring/pen/etc.” By starting with a comment on something personal, you can often know more about the other person. Read more…

 

Most of Kasturi’s ideas are worthwhile. The one that’s hard for me to embrace is “I have a lucrative opportunity for you.” I can’t think of a setting that I would feel comfortable in using this idea to begin a conversation. Unless we know each other and the other party is expecting to talk about opportunities.

MoreTips for Conversation Starters

• Ask open-ended questions
• Keep your inner voice confident
• Keep a good balance between comments and questions
• Read current events (non-controversial topics)
• Listen to the other person

Take these ideas and put them in words that you’re comfortable using. In other words, make the statements your own. Test them out with friends or colleagues. Then try them at your next networking meeting.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as being heard. ~William Hazlitt[/social_quote]