Tips On How To Reply And Respond

I saw these big beautiful mums at a garden nursery so I snapped a picture of them with my new LG500g cellphone. Anyway...

Now that I'm a full-time "sales" mane, I'll have to really work hard on my conversational skills! So, I'll try to post something at least twice a week for those of you who struggle with conversational flow as I do.

And, it's weird... people seem to really enjoy talking to me and want to talk to me but, I'm nervous sometimes whenever I have to talk to them - even if they are fun to talk to and easy to talk to. I Still get nervous. ???

I don't know what's up with that.

But, people still seem to enjoy talking to me or want to talk to me. Even my managers and supervisors.

Sometimes, I even get people asking me for advice or for my opinion on personal matters. Or - out the blue - these guys and girls will share secrets about their personal life with me. Sometimes I just listen. Sometimes, I'll start yappin' and apologize for rambling on, but they keep coming back....

One of my homeboys even suggested that I write a book. lol.

I don't know what it is. I still have a few things to learn about myself I guess.

Maybe I zone out or something when I talk to people and don't know what the hell I'm saying because I don't get it.

Anyway, let me tell you what I found out.

Dammit! I put the notes in my phone!

Okay, I'm gonna "wing" this cause I'm too lazy to get up and I should be getting some sleep for work tomorrow...

Anyway... This is what I discovered:

You shouldn't be nervous about starting a conversation because you can start a conversation about anything.

The trick is keeping the conversation going.

Let me give you an example:

Let's say you're at the market shopping for some eggs, bread, and milk, and you see this hot girl or hot guy standing a few feet from you checking out the butter. So, you say, "Mmmmmm... That butter looks mighty good."

And, he or she looks up at you...

What do you say now?

Although that girl or guy hasn't said anything. He or she has still responded simply by acknowledging your presence.

So, how do you reply or respond to his or her response?

You could ask:

What brand of butter is that?
Is that butter healthy?
Is that butter expensive?
Is that butter low in sodium?
Do you use that brand regularly? How good is it?
Have you tried that brand before?
How long have you been using that brand?

Then you say (or, you could say):

I love butter and jam on my toast, but I need something healthier. Do you think I should try that?
I'm learning to cook. What would be a good dish to cook with that butter?
Do you cook a lot of meals yourself? What's a good recipe that you use with that butter?
They have some really good prices on butter here, but did you notice how expensive the eggs are?

There are a million responses you could use also!

But, be ready with plenty more responses because the conversation can only get deeper and deeper after you get past the small-talk.

And, you don't always have to respond with words! Remember! Body language and facial expressions are important too.

And, don't forget about being mentally in-tune with the moment! Have fun. Remember, your goal is to get to know this person or to find out more about what's going on in the world around you.

That guy or girl may have some information on more deals. He or she may be able to help you with catering. He or she may have free tickets to give away... You never know. He or she may be related to you in some way or possibly a friend of one of your close friends.

So, engage and just enjoy the moment. That's what it's all about.

- loveqna