HOW TO TALK TO STRANGERS
You ever gone to a place, like a meet and greet or even a house party with your friends and they disappeared on your ass and when you look around everybody is socialising but you? Well, that ain't finna happen to you no more because because imma give ya'll some helpful tips that will help you come out of your bubble and make you feel free and confident enough to interact with other people. First thing you gotta do though is to observr your crowd and identify someone who looks as left out as you were, then walk towards them and apply the following:
SAY HI AND SMILE
Smiling at a person always gives a good first impression and it makes a person look more approachable and easier to talk to. So smile and say hi. Saying hi breaks the ice and the added bonus of a smile makes people more welcoming to you and they will most prolly say hi back but as your saying hi, don't automatically expect a positive response because when you don't expect a response, you are more likely not to be offended or disappointed if someone doesn't respond to you.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND COMPLIMENT THE LISTENERS APPAREL OR ACCESORIES
After saying hi, don't just stare at the listener smiling at them because this is really creepy. Introduce yourself and compliment them by saying something like,"Hi, Am Yanna. I like your sunglasses, where did you get them from?" or something like,"Hi, Am Yanna. Wow! I like your outfit or your shoegame is on point." Most people like it when others appreciate their taste, so they will likely respond positively to you.
PS: Don't comment on the listeners physical appearance, saying something like, "Hi, Am Yanna, you have sexy eyes." Sounds off doesn't it? So don't comment on the physical appearance because it'll be creepy and prolly portray a stalker kinda vibe to your listener.
COMMENT ON SOMETHING COMMON TO BOTH OF YOU AND ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
You can try commenting on something positive for example, if ya'll are eating, you can comment on the food, if ya'll are drinking, you can comment on the alcohol. You can then follow this up with an open-ended question for example if you made a comment about alcohol, you can ask something like,"What alcoholic brands have ever done a number on you?". Asking open-ended questions keep the conversation afloat because the listener will unlikely use single worded responses to answer.
BE YOURSELF
Don't try so hard to appeal to everyone. For example, you may not be a funny person but when your talking to a person, you keep making subtle comments which in your head may seem funny but in reality they're not. So don't try to be someone different, just BE YOU, you are unique in your own way so let that personality of yours shine through because your listener will notice it and be more comfortable with talking to, if you try too hard, your listener will notice that too and will prolly find a way to walk away from you.
BE FRIENDLY, NOT THIRSTY AND AGGRESSIVE
Make sure that you don't pressurize yourself into meeting new people because you will come off as aggresive , thirsty and unapproachable. If you talk to someone and they don't wanna have a conversation with you, don't start being insistive, pushy and insulting, this is a major turn off for most people. Take a chill pill instead and go with the flow because you'll have better conversations and people will likely also approach you.
TRY MAKING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THEM BUT STILL SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF
Everybody loves talking about themselves so in order to keep the conversation afloat, show an interest in their life. Talk about their interests, ideas and opinions and respond to what they share. But don't just ask them many questions for example, asking them question after question as if its an interrogation session. Share some of your interests as well because inasmuch as people love talking about themselves, they also love knowing about other people. So let the conversation be balanced.
DON'T START A CONVERSATION WITH CORNY PICK-UP LINES OR BLAND COMMENTS ABOUT THE WEATHER
Phew chile, if you want people to walk away from you as soon as you say hi, try starting the conversation with a cheesy pick-up line or a weather remark. No one wants to get stuck in a boring conversation when they out trynna have some fun, so avoid such topics at all costs because this only makes you look lame. Also stay away from sensitive topics such as political or religious openers because you may rub a person the wrong way.
TRY FINDING COMMON INTERESTS
If you don't wanna lack conversation with your listener, try finding common interests that you may have. Focus on this and discuss them. You may be asking,"How do i get to find out common interests with a stranger and i barely know them?" Well, as you guys are sharing information and ideas, you're prolly bound to discover more about what they like that you may also happen to like, bank on that. If you don't have anything common with your listener, iss still okay because you made the effort and even got that far and actually talked to someone new.
IMAGINE THE LISTENER IS ALREADY YOUR FRIEND
If you are having a conversation with someone new, imagine that they are already your friend. This will help ease the tension or fear that you may have of approaching a person first. If you approach a person with the notion that they're already your friend, it'll be easier to talk to them without feeling the pressure of the conversation failing or you being rejected.
