With the imminent onslaught of the party season, we will all at some point be stuck in the corner talking to Stuart from accounting. If you have ever wondered how to make small talk at parties, here’s our guide to help you mix, mingle and make small talk to avoid the awkward silences.

It does require a certain amount of guts to approach someone you don’t know at a party, but nine times out of ten the person you approach will be happy to speak to you, especially if you have something interesting to say.

Don’t feel embarrassed to start a conversation with old classics like “have you been to this bar before?” or “how do you know *party host*?” as clichés are clichés for a reason – they start the ball rolling and conversation can take off from there.  Here are some top tips on how to make small talk:

• Practice in your every day life – with colleagues or at the supermarket – the more confidence you have, the easier it will become to make small talk, and confidence comes from practice
• Make sure you relax – it sounds simple, but if you’re relaxed, you’ll be able to talk much more freely. A drink can sometimes help!
• Start with someone who looks approachable – they’re probably shy too and waiting for someone to talk to them
• Approaching someone on their own is normally easier than a group
• Talk about what or who you have in common – if you both know the host, talk about him / her and how you’re linked
• Read newspapers and watch TV – talking about current events or pop culture will always go down well
• Ask questions and be a good listener – responding to others is the easiest way of maintaining a conversation – make sure to keep eye contact, nod occasionally and look interested
• Don’t be afraid to talk about the weather – it’s a national obsession, after all!

Small Talk: What Not To Do…

Here are some example of how not to make small talk!

• Don’t spend hours researching people who you know will turn up at the party – it’s far more interesting to discover information in person
• Don’t fix your face with a permanent smile – you’ll just look strange
• Don’t spread yourself too thin – it’s far better to have five interesting conversations than to have 30 trivial and superficial conversations
• Avoid controversial issues such as politics or religion and don’t disclose information that’s too personal or inappropriate

It sounds obvious but just be yourself while you’re mingling and, above all, calm down! It’s unlikely that anyone will go out of their way to make you feel uncomfortable and excluded so just enjoy yourself.

If you liked this guide on how to make small talk at parties, you need help with organising your party, so please contact us for further details.

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