Small Talk Is Actually a Big Thing!

It’s no secret that 2026 is setting a renewed pace for face-to-face events. Sales meetings, industry conferences, expos, association meetings and more are looking to new and established venues to enable the more basic desire in humans – to connect in person.

Saying hello and getting caught up with familiar faces is an enjoyable experience, but the fact that you’re there at the event is likely for the purpose of generating a business return on investment. Your networking and conversational skills are your most valuable tool in this face-to-face world, and you owe it to yourself and to the people that sent you to the event,  to be outgoing, engaging and — most important — memorable, so you can follow up with key individuals during and after the event.

Networking can be challenging. Why do you think it contains the word “work” within it? But it doesn’t have to be painful.

Here’s a quick 5 step interpersonal gameplan to help you make the most of your next business event.

Step 1. Goal of the event. What is your business goal for attending this event? Maybe it’s  looking to develop a new customer, launch a new product or service, seek a partnership, recruit for an open position, or understand the latest developments in your market. Whatever it is, it’s important to be crystal clear about that goal and pursue the actions that will help you achieve them.

Step 2. Openings. When you get to that coffee event, or luncheon, or cocktail reception…how do you introduce yourself?  Forget “elevator pitch” and think “connectivity”.  Avoid the “noun fountain”  (name, company, role, years there, and before that and before that).  A response to the inevitable “So what do you do?” should be memorable, and at the least, make them curious enough to ask a follow up. Example: when I’m asked, I often say “I’m a professional presentation coach, because in my experience, when all else is pretty equal, the better communicators win”.

Step 3. Power Phrases and Verbs: People don’t remember nouns nearly as well as they remember verbs. “Remember the woman that danced in front of  the audience at that keynote?”  or “The guy that’s reshaping the affordable housing system?”  Think about  what you transform, promote, defend, protect or discover. I use the “win” verb prominently in my tag line and conversations. These are the words people remember. Also, think about ways to describe what you do so folks want to know more. I coached an expert in “geological thermodynamics and risk”. When he’d tell people that, they almost always gave the look of  “Oh, OK. If you say so”. Instead, we tried something different at an upcoming networking event — his new response: “Well, if I don’t do my job right, things catch on fire”.  Almost everyone wanted to know more. As I like to say, the first 15 seconds buys you the next 30, and that buys you the next couple of minutes — if you know how to stack your verbs. Well, that and…

Step 4. Interviewing. What’s everyone’s favorite conversational topic? Correct —themselves! Most everyone is more comfortable rambling on about themselves, but the truly best networkers — the ones who get remembered — are the ones who ask open ended questions. “What brings you to a conference like this?” “If you could make one big change here, what would it be?” If they’re new to the conference: “Who’s the ideal contact you’re looking to make?” Ask open ended, helpful questions. Take it a step further and ask a good follow-up question. Follow up questions tell the other person you’re listening and interested.

Step 5. Tick Tock, Watch the Clock.  Ever get trapped in a corner with a compulsive talker? You desperately look for colleagues, friends, familiar faces to rescue you from the barrage of chit chat, with no breaks in sight? The only thing worse than that, is being that compulsive talker.  After a few minutes of engagement, be the one who offers a follow up —could be at the conference, or afterwards in person, on a zoom call, even a phone call. It demonstrates professional courtesy, to say nothing of being situationally aware.

Small talk is a big thing. Done correctly, it can plant the seeds for future relationships and business. But it’s a mandatory two-way street.

To be interesting to others, you have to be interested in others.