Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Truly Connect with Others and Make a Killer First Impression

by Diane Weston

Did you ever wonder how to jumpstart a conversation that just won’t get off the ground? Or have you even felt the urge to avoid social gatherings because striking up a conversation with a stranger makes your stomach do flip-flops?Diane Weston provides solutions for those who feel their conversations have more awkward moments than they would like. She reveals tools and techniques anyone can use to start a meaningful conversation so you don’t need to worry about upcoming social gatherings anymore. Whether it is a work party, a conference, or a friend’s dinner, with the help of this book you will be prepared to turn a stranger into an acquaintance and an acquaintance into a friend.Small How to start a conversation, truly connect with others and make a killer first impression teaches you how to become an expert at small talk. This practical guide is divided into four easy-to-read sections.The introduction will ease you into an exploration of good communication. You'll be able to learn all The differences between introverts and extrovertsThe basics of human interaction and foundations of good communicationThe unspoken rules of small talkIt will also help you put all that basic theory into practice, so you can boost your social skills to the max. You'll be able to identify the different aspects of non-verbal communication such The consequences of your facial expressionsHow people can be affected by your tone of voiceThe significance of your posture and gesturesThe secrets to positive body languageFurthermore, part three of the book will set your confidence soaring as you learn foolproof small talk techniques. You'll cover methods such How to make a dazzling first impressionThe best conversation startersUltimate ice breakers to crack even the toughest nutsLearning how to listen to others and detect non-verbal cuesInteracting in one-on-one and group conversationsAdvanced science-backed small talk techniques such the ARE technique and the FORD methodBut if you're worried about putting these techniques to use, this book will guide you right through any hiccups along your path to exceptional communication. You'll learn Overcome your social anxiety and get in the right mind-set to talk to anyoneJumpstart a conversation that just won't get off the groundStrategies to keep a conversation going and get past awkward silencesBeat dull chatHow to stop yourself falling into a conversation black holeHow to exit a conversation gracefullyIf you want to learn the practical techniques of the best conversationalists and become a master of communication, this book will help you reach your goals. Don't let your conversation fall flat. Take the first step in learning how to become an expert small talker. Simply scroll up and grab yourself a copy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Personal Development, Communication

114 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2019

Reviews

[Shaza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I somehow been doing the stuff in this book without realizing, there was not much that I took away from this but I would recommend for someone who is rly bad at small talk.

[Fred Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been declining offers of free books in exchange for an honest review due to the height of my "to be read" stack. But the description of this one piqued my interest so I ordered the free copy. My first reaction was this would have been better as a magazine article, given that it is a rather thin book, quite repetitive, large type and lots of white space and teaser references - "We'll deal with that issue in an upcoming section."

It also seemed to me that much of the material is simplistic, and a "firm grasp of the obvious". But then, after thinking about it, I realized my frame of reference is based on 50 years of experience in sales and marketing, education and planning.

For those new to putting themselves out in the world, networking, making connections and surviving social situations that might otherwise make one uncomfortable it helps to have some frameworks of reference. A place to return to when one loses their way to permit them to get back on track, as it were. The framework provided here does that and it can help one analyze situations and determine the appropriate response as well as providing a degree of encouragement in practicing the skills necessary to become a proficient conversationalist. I had originally planned a 2.5 rating raised to 3 but once I realized who the audience is for this type of material I decided that 3.5 stars raised to 4 is a more accurate rating.

By the way, this must be a popular topic. I typed "Small Talk" in the book search field and got 710 hits so good luck with yet another!

[Kim Hill Markland · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I am pretty terrible at small talk. I am nervous in social situations where I am with a lot of people I do not know. I don't work a room well. I don't make a very good first impression. And this has been a life-long issue for me. Now I have two grown daughters (one grown and one almost grown) and I know that one of them has the same issues I have and more that likely the other one suffers some of the same issues too. My older daughter is a college senior and during the last year or so (at least until the pandemic started) she was being wined and dined by accounting firms who were in search of interns and potential long term employees. I could tell she just wasn't very confident. So, like I do with most other problems I want to tackle, I looks for a book to help me and my daughter out. I did a search for books on the subject of small talk and this one popped up. It is a short read with big print, so you can get through it very quickly. It is not life changing. But there are some good tips. I think I got the most value out of the fact that I realized I am not as bad in social situations as it has always seemed to me. I have gotten more confident as I have aged. But I do believe that there is a lot of value to be found in realizing you are quite as bad as you had thought you were. It is a confidence builder for sure.

[Cheryl Malandrinos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the hardest part about developing a relationship with someone is getting started. In Small Talk, author Diane Weston shares tips and examples on how to start a conversation, connect with others, and make a great first impression.

No matter where we are in life, no matter what our occupation, we need to learn how to best interact with other people. Life is about developing relationships. Some may be more meaningful than others, but all require us to understand the basics of communication.

Weston opens with why we need small talk and what the reader can learn from Small Talk. Then she covers the important basics of human interaction and communication. She discusses forms of non-verbal communication, like facial expressions and posture. The book discusses positive thinking and general rules for small talk. Finally, Weston shares tips and techniques to master small talk, using several examples to help the reader fully understand how to master each technique.

Small Talk by Diane Weston should be in business and personal libraries everywhere. No matter the size of your group or what relationships you're looking to develop and nurture, you'll find tons of help in this great resource.

[Barbara Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is loaded with practical advice on how to be a better conversationalist in social situations. There are three parts. The first part teaches the basics of communication, verbal and non-verbal. In the second part, readers learn how to prepare themselves and practice to communicate and connect with other people. Lastly, the author provides concrete methods and techniques to use when making small talk as well as troubleshooting ideas and checklists when you feel that you are in trouble.
Weston cautions her readers to always have a positive mindset and play close attention by truly listening to the other person while maintaining eye contact. Be aware of body language and always be respectful of the other person, whether you agree with his point of view. Small talk is a learned skill that anyone can master with practice.
This book is not a guide to becoming an effective public speaker, but it will provide some good tips to be more comfortable in social situations. Recommend especially for teens and adults.

[Mark Youngkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diane Weston would make a good speaker in an interpersonal communication class, speaking on how to initiate conversation with strangers. The problem with this book is, the topic of small talk is a chapter in a textbook or a booklet, not a book unto itself. She's done as well as anyone could in taking this slight subject and expanding on it to fill the space of a book. There's just not enough meat here to make an interesting book.

Weston clearly has the ambition to be a published author and I hope that once she has more experience and a better idea for a whole volume, she'll try again.

[Greg K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dafuq did I just read? It all starts nicely with a lighthearted text and encouragements, but quickly slides down into objectification, bizarley detailed examples filled with wishful thinking, cliches, and finally patronizing bullshit like “Often these people don’t have anyone who truly listens to them and that’s why they try to make others listen to them by never stopping talking.”

If you chuck out the prose worthy of E.L. James, there is actually effective explanation of relevant frameworks, but the aforementioned literary devices really drag the whole thing down.

[Cesar Bernal · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book is doo-doo farts. It didn't really give good tips other than "dude, go talk to someone. oH, you're anxious and nervous? take a couple breaths and ask them about their family or something" and the "bad ass ice breaker comments" were really cringey, and were probably pulled from a Buzzfeed article. The FORD method and ARE method can be explained to you on Youtube. I wouldn't buy it, there are plenty of other good books out there. It's also really thin, so it's a pretty quick read if you do buy it

[Paul and Abi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good information, perhaps longer than it needed to be for the subject matter. Seems to be written as a logical and simple guide for those who struggle with social situations or anxieties. Several helpful tools including the ARE (anchor, reveal, encourage) and FORM (From/family, occupation, recreation, motivation) acronyms are the best that I have taken from this book. In the relationship journey, this book addresses the acquaintance stage.

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all use small talk to make others comfortable before we make our pitch. Weston's book is particularly helpful with tips on making the conversation personal with guaranteed icebreakers. I network on a daily basis and Small Talk had an abundance of new information, especially regarding how to make sure that innocent comments don't have negative connotations.

[Johnny Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not overly compelling or deep. I’m ashamed it took me a few days to read this but it just didn’t draw me in. The tips are good and practical but it’s not a must read as it’s fairly short and a lot of things mentioned are near common sense even for people who struggle at times with small talk like myself. A decent reference book for conversation.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more from this book. I struggle with small talk (and any social interaction) but the tips in this book were either common sense or tips I've read hundreds of times in other publications so aren't that helpful. It was set out in a useful way but, for me, it didn't have enough content to warrant the price I paid for it.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and simple book on how to improve at small talk. Most of the advice is fairly obvious, but it is good to be reminded to maintain eye contact and genuinely listen. Some of the conversation topic ideas were helpful. The example conversations were kind of cheesy.

“But what it really comes down to is being a good person and sharing yourself with another through words.” Like The Word.

[Dan Stern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read and straight to the point. I enjoyed every bit of it and was reminded of things that I completely forgot about. I also learned some simple techniques that I’m ready to use in future conversations. As an introvert I have struggled with keeping conversations going so this was a nice, helpful, and simple look into how I can improve.
One person found this helpful

[Fabiana Cirino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical, quick, easy to follow and understand.

[Omur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I enjoyed this book. Its language, explanations and examples are great. I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.

[Lerato · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book to learn how to start up conversation and improve your communication skills.

[Booqmonk · Rating 4 out of 5]

confam.book wey go help you for small talk talk talk, wey dey lead to deep matter

[Magdalena Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good, especially considering that I'm not the target audience. I wouldn't say that I have problems with small talk but my student chose this book for our ESL lessons and it was fun for both of us to analyse the techniques presented here. I think this book could genuinely help somebody who might have issues with small talk.