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Good Conversation Starters: What to Do When Your Ice Breaker Flops
Do you know what to do when your ice breaker fails to start conversation? Follow these two tips and you’ll successfully talk to men or women every time.
Here’s my story:
I’m a new member of the National Association of Pen Women, and I don’t know many people in my chapter. No problem. Since I’m the Queen of Conversation, I always have a batch of good conversation starters ready to go. Sitting at the lunch table with seven new faces, I popped one of my favorites…
Good Conversation Topics: 3 Strategies to Enjoy (Phone) Conversations With a Crabby Person
Nobody likes to talk to a whiny, crabby person. But sometimes you gotta. Maybe you feel obligated. Maybe she’s your mother or your monster-in-law. Chin up! You can dump that urge to smash the phone to smithereens. A handful of great conversation topics can turn a whine-fest into a winning conversation, one you both can enjoy.
How to Start a Conversation: Use the News to Get to Know Someone
News media are endless sources of ways to start conversations. They’re the mother lode of conversation topics for couples.
I love newspapers. Mostly they’re filled with fluff—at least mine are. Do I really need the front page to tell me that our streets are pocked with potholes or that Aloha Stadium is a rust bucket? Nah.
The paper also contains gems. For example, a great conversation starter is Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps’s bong episode. FYI: if you were out of the country, Michael was photographed at a party, sucking a marijuana bong. He was caught smokey-handed by an acquaintance who sold the photo to the media. It was just a cell-phone picture, but…
First Date Conversation Tips: 9 Horrible, Awful First-Date Conversation Topics
1. Your pet peeves – Drivers who cut you off in traffic. Long lines at airport security. (Yawn.) You might as well get a forehead tattoo that says BORING WHINER. On the other hand, if you can tell a story about an impatient traveler who convinced 43 people to let him or her cut in line, then you’re out of boring territory and into the land of intrigue. Especially if you’re that traveler.
2. Gripes about your …
Conversation Tip: How to Get the Best Out of a Bore or Windbag
Have you ever been pinned to the wall with mind-numbing, dreary, tedious stories? Have you ever wanted to change the subject and talk about something interesting? You can. And when your date or interviewer asks questions you don’t want to answer, you can deftly change the subject and talk about something else. Media trainers have a name for this conversation technique: bridging. I learned this handy switcheroo tool from an unlikely source.
Conversation Tips: What to Do When You Forget Someone’s Name
You’ve just met this person at the office, and 2 minutes into the conversation, oops! Her name flies out the window of your memory. When you’re talking to your neighbor, you forget her name, too. Welcome to the club. What are you going to do now?
Begin with these 3 tips…
Good Conversation Starters: “Haven’t We Met Before?” How to Start a Conversation with a Cliché
When can you say, “Haven’t we met before?” without sounding like a cliché? There is a way to turn this ancient ice breaker into a good conversation starter without sounding common as dirt, dry as dust, and strictly for the birds. Or worse, like a failed pick-up artist. Discover how to turn an old line into a good impression….
12 Awful First Date Tips—Drink Chablis With a Straw
Wondering what to do on a first date? Here are 12 awful ways to impress a woman. Good first date tips include conversation on first date, flirting & etiquette. That’s just silly. Women readers: see if your dates have pulled these stunts on you….er, I mean, perhaps you could pick up some tips, too.
So-called experts say that these are things not to do on a romantic first date. Nuts to them. Set the tone of the relationship right from the start by being yourself. Always being yourself is the key to…
First Impression Tips: Avoid These Three Conversation Clichés Like the Plague
The clock is ticking. You have 7 seconds to make a good first impression. You check the mirror to make sure you look your best. You breathe into your cupped palms and pass the sniff test. You go to your event, where you make friendly eye contact and smile. So far, so good. Don’t blow that good first impression when you…
Great Conversation Tips: 3 Ways to Kill Good Conversation
Here’s another edition of Great Conversation Tips with three ways to kill a good conversation—or at least knock it senseless. Are you guilty of at least one of these?
1. Obsess about details
You’ve heard something like this: “I had the most exciting rafting trip ever. It was last August. No, it was July. No, it was June, the month after the basement flooded. No, it was the year before that….”
Unless you’re testifying in court …
How to Flirt and Start a Conversation With “What’s Your Sign?”
Starting a conversation with men and women is easy. Follow these tips and “What’s your sign?” will lead from casual talk to genuine first-date conversation.
The conversation starter “What’s your sign?” had its heyday in the 60′s when the musical Hair turned everyone’s attention to the Age of Aquarius. Nowadays, it can be a trite conversation topic for couples. If you’re lucky, it leads to small talk. There’s one exception though…
Romantic Date Ideas for Men: How to Avoid the Valentine’s Day Penalty Box
You want romance, connection and closeness on this most romantic of days. So listen up, guys! Valentine’s Day is the most important date day of the year. And that’s not just Hallmark speaking. Your sweetie believes it, too. You want to score points and stay out of the penalty box. So play hard and fair, and stay away from the 4 big Valentine’s Day mistakes. You’re about to discover how to make this day memorable. In a good way.
Conversation Tips: How to Ask a Big Favor From a VIP
Asking a big favor from an important, busy person takes planning and rehearsal. Here are ten strategies to get a yes.
An early-morning thought made me fly out of bed. “My book coach was right. Jacquelyn Mitchard could endorse my book! She has 7 kids. As they grow up and go on dates, they could benefit from my questions and tips. Not that she’ll EVER allow them to date. At least not without a life jacket with a GPS on it….”
Romantic Date Ideas: 6 Mistakes Could Land You in the Valentine’s Day Dog House
Do you know the 6 mistakes to avoid on Valentine’s Day? Remember the principle that even meatloaf seems special in candlelight. Discover how to squeeze more romance out of your Valentine’s Day date.
1. Assuming a romantic Valentine’s Day is all about sex
It’s not all about sex. It’s all about ….
Super Tips to Build Your Confidence and Meet New People, All at Once
How do you build your confidence?
How do you meet and get to know people who share your interests?
How do you get to schmooze with folks you wouldn’t otherwise meet, including celebrities?
When your spirits are lower than a bullfrog’s belly in a well, what will lift you up?
What one simple step will give you a purpose, a reason to be on the planet?
What miracle could do all this? For free?…
Romantic Date Ideas: 6 Tips for a Valentine’s Day Date on a Tight Budget
Romantic Valentine’s Day date ideas don’t have to bust your budget. Here’s a recipe for cooking up a memorable occasion with a few simple and cheap ingredients. Dazzle your sweetie with a feast of sensory delights. The most important one…
Starting a Conversation: Ask Questions to Make Friends
Think about the people you see all the time. How well do you know them? You could be missing out on good conversation or even a lasting friendship. Use good conversation questions to get people to tell you their stories. People will tell you amazing stories when you care enough to ask. Your new best friend could be one question away….
Good Conversation Tips: Is Your Humor Helping Your Message?
In the blink of an ear, a conversation starter can turn into a conversation stopper. Before you speak, especially in public, consider your audience. Who are they? What are they like? How do they talk? In other words, be considerate of your audience. Like Mary Poppins’ spoonful of sugar, your humor should help your message go down.
