Have you ever been in a group conversation that is quickly ended by someone who brings up a totally backwards topic that garners no response? For example if you are in a conversation about, say, dining room furniture, and someone else comes in and says “You know we used to have cable TV, but now we just have satellite.” That person needs to learn a Pickup line! (True story!)
The issues of a bad opening line usually includes:
- any response would be too obvious
- nobody agrees with the premise
- its totally off topic
- there is no mode to continue the conversation
Usually, a good nerd can pull off this awkward kid of conversation squasher with no problem at all.
If you’ve got your “new Friend Radar” up (see my other friendship posts) and need to break the ice, a FRIENDLY pickup line might serve you well. When you don’t know someone, and you’re trying to start a conversation – you need to say something – here’s some rules:
- A pick up line that invites someone’s opinion on a subject is great
- A pickup line including a question about the recipient is awesome – because people LOVE to talk about themselves
- A pickup line that lets someone talk about what they are good at but don’t get to share about often is the best!
Let’s take an extreme example. Say you are at a Barnes and Noble store, and you see…Oprah. Now – telling Oprah that you think she is awesome breaks rule#1 – she has nothing to respond with and breaks rule #3 – she gets it a lot. Telling Oprah that she should read her own biography is great and … OK, my Oprah scenario is just plain horrible, and my rules are breaking down.
Let’s go with Sally Saves A Lot Coupon Queen at the Grocery Store. A good pickup line might be “how much do you save every week – is it worth it?”
The gist is – get a couple of good opening lines (usually questions) ready that may be funny (or at least you think they are funny) and that you can see if your friendship radar is any good.
How To Start A Conversation And Make Friends (Paperback)
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