How good are you in a casual business conversation?
For example, when you are waiting for an appointment, attending a conference or having a business lunch? Well, it’s not an easy thing to do for many people. Many great friendships and business relationships started with a simple talk about the weather. So that you learn to master this skill, we present to you the following tips:
Make the person comfortable
a) Give a friendly greeting: Be simple and direct. For example, “It’s so nice to see you Susan.”
b) Have “open” body language: Give the other person all your attention; show interest.
c) Keep it light: No criticism, negative things, or controversial topics. For example, “Isn’t learning English interesting?”
Start talking
a) Establish a connection: Think about what you have in common. For example, “I just love coming to Mexico City.”
b) Engage the other person: Get the other person to share his/her ideas. For example, “Is this your first global conference?”
c) Listen! Make a conscious effort to remember what the other person says. For example, “You said you enjoyed these types of events, right?»
d) Ask questions: Keep the conversation going. For example, “Did you read that book, too? It has real great advice.”
End the talk
a) Plan a follow up meeting: You could ask to meet again or exchange information. For example, “Can we meet after the conference to talk more about this interesting offer?”
b) Saying goodbye: End the conversation politely. For example, “It’s been great talking to you.”
EXERCISE
DIRECTIONS: Complete the following ‘small talk’ dialogue. Use a word from the list below.
weather | to meet | My name | first | talking | sunny
*Note: A misspelled word counts as incorrect.
ANSWER KEY
A: Hello! My name is Connie.
B: Pleased to meet you. I’m Sandra.
A: The weather is great, isn’t it?
B: Oh yes! I like bright and sunny days, too.
A: So, are you ready for your first day here?
B: Yes, I am. Well, it was great talking to you.
A: Same here. Have good day!
