Page 207 - ConvinceThemFlip

get them talking
Ask people questions
that spark their
imagination and ignite
conversation.
approach with “Can I ask
you a question?” Another
easy way to do this in your
day-to-day dealings is by
coming up with a common-
ground statement about
the location or occasion to
prime the pump: “Looks like there are more exhibitors
here than last year. How far have you come?” “Given the
state of the road repairs around the store, how did you
find the trip?” “It looks to me like everyone’s talking and
enjoying themselves. What do you think about holding
these get-togethers more often?”
Another way to get a conversation rolling is by using
direct commands to the imagination: “Tell me about . . .”
You fill in the blank: “Tell me about your trip.” “Tell me
about those new guys on the fourth floor.”
When you ask for an opinion or ask to be told some-
thing, you put the ball in the other person’s court (to
return to the tennis metaphor). When they send it back,
watch out for pointers and choose the one that seems the
most obvious. Pointers are words you can pick up and
repeat back to your conversational partner as you steer
and focus the conversation. I’ve italicized a few in the fol-
lowing lines from a recent conversation with the CFO of a
midsized corporation.
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