5 Ways To Engage New Acquaintances In A Conversation

At some point of time in our lives, we would have met or talked to new people. Most of us would have experienced that awkward moment when neither party knows what else to say after exchanging a few courtesies, which definitely makes it difficult for the friendship to progress.

While Rooit can help you out by giving conversation hints on the app, we can’t always be there for you in real-life conversations 😂so here are 5 effortless ways you can keep your new friend engaged in the conversation!

1. Give other people a chance to talk about themselves

Yes, this may sound like a no-brainer, but it may surprise you how many people tend to ignore the party they are talking to once you hand the conversation over to them. They will start elaborating on their own life stories and achievements, and definitely turn the topic back to themselves at any chance they can find. Instead of always sharing about yourself, why not take a step back and give other people the opportunity to be engaged in the conversation as well?

E.g.

Instead of: I see we both like music! I like pop, I listen to all genres. My favourite singer is….

Try: I see we both like music! What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?

2. Ask “If you could” questions.

These are interesting questions that can open up a whole series of other chat topics, and helps the other party you are talking to feel more comfortable sharing about themselves without being overly intimate if you are just getting to know them.

E.g.

If you could meet 3 famous historical people, who would you choose to meet?

If you could be someone for a day, whose life would you try out?

3. Try “Would you rather” questions.

Similar to the “If you could” questions, these are aimed at creating a more amicable and relaxed chatting atmosphere by steering clear of the typical ‘serious’ questions. It is also a great opportunity to create camaraderie with others when you can agree on something.

E.g.

Would you rather eat only cake for the rest of your life, or never have get to eat cake again in your life?

4. Ask open-ended questions.

Asking close-ended questions is a sure conversation-killer, and you know it. Try to ask more questions that go beyond ‘yes/no’ answers, and would encourage the other person(s) to think and talk more about topics they really like.

E.g.

Instead of: Do you like laksa?

Try: What kind of food do you enjoy eating?

5. Crack jokes — but make sure they are good.

Good jokes can help to lighten up the atmosphere instantly. It puts the other people in the conversation at ease, and puts you in a good light as well. However, be warned — some jokes are inappropriate, others are just not that funny, so tell them at your own risk!

Have fun chatting!

Rooit — all things startup, gamification & AI

Written by

A Techstars startup. Bringing people closer through gamification and AI in chat→ http://rooit.me/en/index.html

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