One of my earliest blog posts was about the importance of small talk (Sometimes Small Talk is Anything But Small- November 2008)
Best-selling author and Mingling Maven® Susan RoAne has a great article on the importance of small talk in building business relationships. She provides helpful tips such as:
"DO NOT follow the advice of ‘small talk’ experts who say, “Just ask people questions because people love to talk about themselves.” IF all you do is ask questions, you bring nothing to the banquet and people will think you are prying, probing busybody.
Ask questions, but be aware that some experts suggest questions that are inappropriate, contrived and cheesy. IF the question doesn’t feel right to you, it isn’t."
Read the full article, "BIG Deal About SMALL Talk" here - http://www.susanroane.com/articles/bigdealaboutsmalltalk.html
Susan literally "wrote the book" on networking. Her best-selling classic book is How to Work a Room, Revised Edition: Your Essential Guide to Savvy Socializing
(Amazon affiliate link), which I use in all my How to Schmooze classes.
You can see Susan RoAne in person, when she presents "Networking Face-to-Face in a Digital World" for the CT chapter of the National Speakers Association - Monday, September 20, 2010, 6 PM, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Shelton, CT. Register or find out more at http://www.nsact.org/
Gilda Bonanno's blog www.gildabonanno.com
Best-selling author and Mingling Maven® Susan RoAne has a great article on the importance of small talk in building business relationships. She provides helpful tips such as:
"DO NOT follow the advice of ‘small talk’ experts who say, “Just ask people questions because people love to talk about themselves.” IF all you do is ask questions, you bring nothing to the banquet and people will think you are prying, probing busybody.
Ask questions, but be aware that some experts suggest questions that are inappropriate, contrived and cheesy. IF the question doesn’t feel right to you, it isn’t."
Read the full article, "BIG Deal About SMALL Talk" here - http://www.susanroane.com/articles/bigdealaboutsmalltalk.html
Susan literally "wrote the book" on networking. Her best-selling classic book is How to Work a Room, Revised Edition: Your Essential Guide to Savvy Socializing
(Amazon affiliate link), which I use in all my How to Schmooze classes. You can see Susan RoAne in person, when she presents "Networking Face-to-Face in a Digital World" for the CT chapter of the National Speakers Association - Monday, September 20, 2010, 6 PM, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Shelton, CT. Register or find out more at http://www.nsact.org/
Gilda Bonanno's blog www.gildabonanno.com