How to Talk to Strangers

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Author: Sandra Prior
Date Created: Mar 30, 2009 - 3:14:31 PM

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Make Contact

 

Stand close enough to strike up a conversation but not so close they've got no choice. Catch their eye, smile briefly but brightly, wait for a second or two for a response, then look away. If they smile and make direct eye contact, they're open to talking. If they avoid your eyes and give a tight, closed-mouth smile, they're shy or not interested.

 

Say Something

 

If there's one thing I want you to absorb from this article it's this: chat-up lines don't work. Rather than use a line, just say something appropriate to the situation you're in. If you're in a sandwich shop, saying, ‘Have you eaten here before? I can't decide between the chicken or the tuna’ is going to work better than a corny chat-up line. The more ordinary the chat, the better.

 

What if My Head's Empty?

 

The first lesson at journalism school is to answer five obvious questions in the first paragraphs of any story - who, what, when, where and why. It's even more effective as a model for an opening line. Run through the five words and one's bound to inspire you.

 

Keep it Going

 

Move from polite chit-chat to a real conversation by adding ‘feel’ and ‘tell’ questions. ‘Tell me why...’ ‘How did you feel when...’ Above all, keep smiling. Look like you're enjoying chatting to them and they'll more likely to enjoy chatting to you.

 

Are They Well-Mannered or Genuinely Interested?

 

If someone's chatting out of politeness, they'll take the first chance they can to end the conversation. Test them out. Come up with a plausible excuse to leave their side for a few minutes and see if they're keen for you to come back.

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