Avoid distractions and make sure that both you and your conversation partner are facing each other. Eye contact is important in showing interest
Have fun. Talk about whatever interests you.
Learn more about who that person is and have fun talking about what interests you both.
And if nothing at all interests you?
Be interested
People love talking about themselves.
So if you find yourself at a loss for words when meeting new people, don’t fret: just let them do most of the talking!
Use open-ended questions
Open-ended questions are great for getting people talking—and their answers will give you plenty of new information about them and what they care about.
Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not
No matter how fascinating you think your job or hobby is, keep it real and don’t go overboard trying to impress people with it. Let your actions speak for themselves
Avoid interruptions
Resist any urge to interrupt them—just because they have paused doesn’t mean they’re done talking!
Stay on topic
If you’re at a loss for words, come back to whatever it was that brought you here in the first place.
Ask follow up questions
Asking follow-up questions is one of your best tools for keeping any conversation alive. Your job is to keep asking questions—and then take notes on what you hear.
How to end a conversation
– Thank the other person for their time
– Mention an upcoming event or task that will keep you from talking any longer
How to end a conversation
– Say that you need to go and get ready for bed/work/an appointment
– Offer to continue the conversation in another setting or over email