Seatmate Success: Starting a Conversation While Traveling

With a record number of travelers this holiday season, many people find themselves sitting next to others on airplanes, at airports and at other functions. They want to talk with them but struggle to know what to say.

Start by making a statement about something you have in common, such as the long wait or the great view outside. Then ask a question. For example, "That's an beautiful sunset out there! Do you often fly at this time of day?" Follow it up with an open-ended question, such as "What's your favorite time to fly?"

Be sensitive to others who do not want to talk. Some people want to work or sleep, for example, or prefer not to talk to strangers. But many do, and just aren't sure how to start.

This tip and many others on starting, continuing and ending conversations can be found in an e-book, Small Talk:Connecting wth Others. This concise, practical e-book
can be ordered fr om http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler/scripts/category.pl?EBooks. It is published by Business Speech Improvement, which provides
intensive speech coaching and e-books on many related topics.