HowToTalkToAnybody SmallTalk Script
MODULE 1 | SMALL TALK
Start Conversations with Anybody
Contrary to what novices believe, small talk is not “BS” or a “waste of time.” Socially savvy people understand the importance of building rapport before diving into the deeper parts of a conversation. Just as you don’t walk into a restaurant and immediately order dinner, you don’t skip right to deep philosophical questions with someone you just met!
Small talk is a subtle, important part of building rapport.
The good news: Small talk is a skill. You’ll become more natural by practicing. We’ve provided word-for-word scripts to help you start this process. Eventually, you’ll be able to set these scripts aside and make them your own—letting your own personality shine through. THE 3 OPENERS THAT WORK FOR 90% OF SITUATIONS
Here are 3 scripts that work in nearly any situation. I’m giving you the exact words. Notice how ordinary they are. That is intentional! The truth is, we’re not searching for magically novel words. We’re simply looking for a way to connect and build rapport.
“Hi. How’s your morning going?”
“Hi. I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Ramit.”
“Good morning. How are you?”
It’s easy to “nod and shrug...” and then go back to your same old patterns of behavior.
Remember, the value in these scripts is not in their novelty, but in their utility: You can use these, starting immediately, and see how they evoke positive responses in others around you.
How many times have we walked past doormen, bartenders, people on the street, baristas
—using our headphones and phones—to avoid small talk?
We can change that starting today. Just a small baby step—say hello! Use just ONE of these openers to start a conversation with a stranger today.
3 LOW-STAKES EXPERIMENTS TO USE TODAY
The general openers above are great “easy outs” when you’re struggling to think of something to say. They get you past the hardest part: the start.
What if you want a more impactful opener? What if you want to add value immediately?
Here are
Start Conversations with Anybody
Contrary to what novices believe, small talk is not “BS” or a “waste of time.” Socially savvy people understand the importance of building rapport before diving into the deeper parts of a conversation. Just as you don’t walk into a restaurant and immediately order dinner, you don’t skip right to deep philosophical questions with someone you just met!
Small talk is a subtle, important part of building rapport.
The good news: Small talk is a skill. You’ll become more natural by practicing. We’ve provided word-for-word scripts to help you start this process. Eventually, you’ll be able to set these scripts aside and make them your own—letting your own personality shine through. THE 3 OPENERS THAT WORK FOR 90% OF SITUATIONS
Here are 3 scripts that work in nearly any situation. I’m giving you the exact words. Notice how ordinary they are. That is intentional! The truth is, we’re not searching for magically novel words. We’re simply looking for a way to connect and build rapport.
“Hi. How’s your morning going?”
“Hi. I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Ramit.”
“Good morning. How are you?”
It’s easy to “nod and shrug...” and then go back to your same old patterns of behavior.
Remember, the value in these scripts is not in their novelty, but in their utility: You can use these, starting immediately, and see how they evoke positive responses in others around you.
How many times have we walked past doormen, bartenders, people on the street, baristas
—using our headphones and phones—to avoid small talk?
We can change that starting today. Just a small baby step—say hello! Use just ONE of these openers to start a conversation with a stranger today.
3 LOW-STAKES EXPERIMENTS TO USE TODAY
The general openers above are great “easy outs” when you’re struggling to think of something to say. They get you past the hardest part: the start.
What if you want a more impactful opener? What if you want to add value immediately?
Here are