Building Relationships through "Conversation" Part TWO

I hope you enjoyed Part ONE of Building Relationships through Conversations — and we will now give you some more tips in Part Two
Building Conversation in a Social Situation:In social situations:
When you arrive, take time to scan the room and identify someone who is alone to connect with. If no one is alone, identify the group of people that feels most safe or interesting to you.
Go up to them, smile, say “Hello,” introduce yourself and ask their name.
Try different conversation starters. Ask an open ended question (a question that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no) that is appropriate for the situation you are both in, e.g., Why are you here? How do you know our host? Or comment about the weather, sports, local news, etc. to get a conversation going. Draw on your treasure chest of interesting topics.
See the list below for more ideas.
Offer them a beverage or snack if the opportunity is there. Pretend you are the host.
Focus your attention on the other person. The more you can be genuinely interested in them, the more you will lose self-consciousness. Also, the more you can be genuinely interested in them, the more they will feel safe and comfortable in your company and the more willing they will be to connect with you.
Regularly look into the other person’s eyes.
Repeat their name a few times in your mind so you remember it. Use their name often as you talk to them.
Listen intently to what they say. Listen for similar interests and common ground that will build connection between the two of you.
Silence is okay. Don’t panic if there’s a lull in the conversation.
To end a conversation, thank them, tell them what you enjoyed about the conversation and wish them well in their endeavours.
Remember to breathe. Taking a few deep breaths will help you relax. Do your best have fun!
Creating Conversations and Building Good Relationships – takes practice – so practice this for a week and we will be back.
Remember — Listening is the key 80% — Repeating their name several times helps you to remember it.
Practice Practice Practice.