Does your speech have the "gift of blarney"?

"Blarney" could be defined as a person who easily uses sophisticated speech that includes flattery. Such a person may be very persuasive, or at least is good at talking.

Do you feel shy or "tongue-tied" and wish you had this gift of speech? Here are three tips to help!

First, if you know the person, figure out what comments would be especially complimentary - her outfit, her work, even her diction. If you don't know the person, observe him or her and take an educated guess. Then say (or e-mail) a compliment related to that; it could even be a metaphor such as "Your eyes are the color of the bluest summer sky."

Second, in a party or conference where you would meet strangers, look for someone who is alone, make eye contact, and smile at him or her. If the other person smiles back, go over and talk, using a sentence and a question. "This is a great conference! Is it the first time you've come?"

If you are uneasy about talking to strangers because you don't know how to get out of a conversation, use a reason such as
"It's been nice to meet you, but I have to meet some other people now. Bye!" Then be sure to do exactly what you have said.

Small Talk:Connecting with Others is packed with valuable tips on making "the gift of blarney" easier to learn.
It and other e-books and coaching are offered by Business Speech Improvement.