Marcin Grodzicki notes of a business developer

Breaking the conversation

Photo credit: soylentgreen23

This came to me last night, at one of the events I attended in London. Quite often on a business related event you end up in a situation when you've spent some time talking to a person, and you know that the conversation is heading nowhere. Sometimes you know that even thought the relationship you just created is valuable, you have to catch someone else at the venue, before they leave (or you forget about them), or just meet more people, because that's what you should do. Anyway - you want to smoothly end the conversation, without offending the other side, and jump into a new one.  Here are a couple tips on how to do it:

• Physiological breakers: I need to get a drink (would you want one?). I need to go out for a cigarette (works great, because out there you can meet more people, and then break the conversation again because you're heading back). I need to go to the loo (only if you're running out of options). - downside - you have to be genuine (really get a drink, go to the loo etc. - otherwise they're too obvious).
• 'Help me' breakers. You simply ask the person, who else should you talk to at the party/venue, and even ask them for the introduction afterwards. Works best in an environment you're new to, but the other side is familiar with.
• Bridging. Now, this is my favourite one - taken straight from the PickUp Artist guides. Instead of breaking the conversation, you take it with you, asking the person - I need to talk to 'X' as well, will you join me? Sometimes that's the point when they'll break the conversation, by backing out, but in other cases, you get an instant opener to the next person. You simply say, hello I'd like to introduce Y to you. Oh, you don't know me probably, I'm Z, and I'd like to talk to you because...

Well, I hope this helps. If you have other smooth ways of managing conversations, drop me a note or post a comment below.