Use environmental triggers

Techniques > Conversation techniques > Opening the conversation > Use environmental triggers

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Look about: There are many things all around you that you can use to start a conversation.

If you are outside, you can talk about the weather, the temperature, architecture, plants, trees, nature, the stars, clouds, and so on.

If you are at a party or in a social situation, talk about the music, what others are wearing, who other people are, what they are doing, what to drink and so on.

You can use trigger from the other person, for example complimenting them on their hair, dress and general appearance. You can also take a cue from their mood, whether it is particularly happy, thoughtful, anxious and so on.

You can even talk about yourself, from apologizing for strange dress to saying something about how you feel.

Try to say something original, though a straightforward comment is better than nothing!

Example

I don't know if it is going to rain -- what do you think?

Look at that woman over there! I've never seen such a low-cut dress!!

That's Aquarius up there. What's your star sign? Perhaps I can find it in the heavens for you.

Discussion

When you are bereft of ideas about what to say, things around you can be an easy source of inspiration. They provide something for a frozen mind to latch onto and can thus be used to unfreeze and move into action.

Triggers are often used in creative methods to bounce to new and very different ideas. Thus you could see a tree as a weird hand reaching out of the ground like a horror movie and hence start a conversation about horror.