SMALL TALK A guide to successful conversation

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Improve your Small Talk

A guide to successful conversation
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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• In today's business life small talk isnt small
  at all. On the contrary, it has become more and
  more important.
• Fortunately small-talk skills are not innate but
  can be acquired.
• In what follows, we will present you some basic
  guidelines.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Meeting new people and starting conversations is
  often challenging. It can be difficult to enter a
  room and view strangers everywhere you turn.
• Skilled conversationalists turn business and
  social interactions into opportunities for making
  a good first impression and ultimately an
  opportunity for success.
• These tips might help you

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Be the first to say hello. Always shake hands.
• Take some time during introductions. Make an
  extra effort to remember names and use them from
  time to time.
• If youre not sure the other person will remember
  you, give your name to help out. 

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Exhibit host behaviour by introducing others that
  join the group to each other.
• Show an interest in every person you meet.
  Maintain eye contact. Others will feel more
  comfortable, important and special.
• Be prepared and think of some possible
  conversation topics.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Act confident through your body language, even if
  you are not.
• Be a careful listener, so that you not only make
  your partners feel important, but also gather
  cues to keep the conversation going and/or bridge
  to new topics.
• Do not interrogate a conversational partner with
  too intimate or inappropriate questions.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Play the conversation game. When someone asks,
  Hows business? and Whats going on? Answer
  with more than Pretty good or Not much.
• Do not ask questions which can be answered with
  only yes or no.
• Dont steal the show, and dont let others steal
  the show either.  Try to give everyone in an
  interaction the opportunity to speak and let
  their opinions be heard. 

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Be respectful of the opinions of others. If you
  do not agree, act diplomatically while presenting
  your own point of view, so that the person
  opposite is not exposed.
• Have exit lines prepared. You will probably want
  to mingle with several people around the room.
• Finally Be aware of cultural differences!

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• OK!
• Now lets see, what you have learned.
• Here are some examples.
• Try to find the correct answers.
• Here we go.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Which question is better for a successful small
  talk opening?
• Did you have a nice weekend?
• What did you do on the weekend?
• b) Is better!
• Dont ask questions, which can be answered by
  only Yes or No.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• 2. At a business meeting You shake hands with a
  manager you already have met once some time
  before. What is the best to say?
• Good morning, Mr Smith. John Miller, nice to see
  you again. We met at the conference in Glasgow
  last year.
• Nice to see you again! How are things going?
• a) Is correct!
• If youre not sure the other person will
  remember you, give your name.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• After a negotiating the conversation falters.
  What could you say to keep it going on?
• By the way, is it true, that your company has
  great problems in the new research sector?
• By the way, are you looking forward to the soccer
  WM? Do you think it has any positive economic
  effect on Germany?
• b) Is correct!
• Do not interrogate a conversational partner
  with too intimate or inappropriate questions.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• You want to finish the conversation. What could
  you say?
• Sorry to interrupt you, but I have to welcome Mr.
  Taylor. We could continue our conversation later,
  if you dont mind.
• Well, ahm see you later then!
• a) Is better! This is a polite exit line.

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SMALL TALK - A guide to successful conversation

• Thank you for reading!
• Now start talking!

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