A Simple Game To Make Small Talk Fun

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This video will give you 4 go-to techniques for making small talk with anyone :-) goo.gl/KEbUrj
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What’s the goal of small talk? Think of small talk as a way to A.) learn about each other or learn what’s new with each other, B.) see if you connect on anything and want to form or strengthen a relationship, and C.) enjoy yourself.
This video will show you how to do that without asking a bunch of questions and making it feel like an interview, and avoid forced conversation or awkward silences.
0:56 What's the point of small talk?
1:37 How to combine a compliment & a cold read to replace a boring question with interesting, fun conversation
2:59 The kinds of questions that lead to excited conversation that flows naturally vs. the questions that lead to awkward silences
4:36 My favorite conversation game that is easy to work into conversation without it seeing weird, and makes small talk enjoyable for both people
5:44 How to guide the conversation towards things you're interested in, by eliciting their advice/opinion
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Or if you want to see our personal stuff (regular life + playing music):
Instagram: @CharlieHoupert
Instagram: @IamBenAltman

[@Charismaoncommand]

Thank you so much for subscribing and the Like, guys! We really appreciate it! :D

[@logicmonkey1034]

lol worth $500 dollars? i'll continue with the common google search for information or simply asking the people I know and don't know on the topics xD And not expecting to be $500 out of pocket out of 3 hours of genuine attempts of learning from others.

[@waqarikram8323]

I want to work with you just so badly man. Let me in as your VA.

[@najibcasa2745]

Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to learn about best books for getting over shyness try Wiltapar Simple Shyness Secrets (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some super things about it and my cousin got excellent results with it.

[@miasvera3214]

Charisma on Command The where are you from question guessing game pisses me off. It stereotype based and in my opinion it can get rude if not careful. Talk about yourself and if they want, they will engage and talk about themselves.

[@Yuqideqiko]

Mias Vera yea you have a good point miss, in directly conversation that kinda guessing game can be misunderstood as assuming their origin based on stereotype. I never practice it in real life, but I did ever have this kinda game while talking to people online, I was initiative to make them guessing where am I come from, but I think I should consider about implementing it irl 🤔

[@achild5864]

that moment when you're so awkward you need to watch a tutorial on how to socialize

[@chrispotter3190]

Bridget E. I’m worse. I’m awkward and also have a stutter. Pls pray for me 😂

[@moist_ulfhedinn7818]

lol me too mate

[@friedrichhayek7655]

do u wanna to be my friend? :v

[@nickz.6994]

Cole Parker ..... you and I both lmao and I have a phone interview in like 13 minutes. Yayyyyy lol!

[@tombrady7039]

There's nothing wrong with that some people just aren't born with the ability to socialise well don't worry about it at least you're trying to improve

[@binal-flecki2387]

"oh my god you're so funny are you a comedian" i can't say that without coming of as sarcastic

[@PrimeBrenon]

Bin al-Flecki, that’s not just you

[@hannah6254]

Same ppl think I’m sarcastic even if I’m not 😂

[@forestnraindeers3690]

IKR

[@milandiu5455]

😂😂

[@evakim2282]

I tried saying this line soooo many times and it always comes out weird

[@wengya2170]

Lmao, I'll end up saying- *"why are you 23 years old?"*

[@walbervalente5581]

@What a beast lmao

[@InklanUtterfield]

It was a leap year.

[@plague6716]

*why aren't you 60!?!?*

[@Strength_In_Wisdom]

Could make it fun

[@kevin-7091]

Lmaoooo

[@yoyoheads]

How it'd actually go down: Stranger: *tells joke* Me: *laughs* Wow you're so funny, are you a comedian? Stranger: No. Awkward Silence

[@KyleHarmieson]

That's when you say: "You really should be. You'd do well."

[@ziruini5071]

yoyoheads lol hey, are you a comedian?

[@WolfofNightMusic]

haven't you learned anything? you don't do awkward silence. do this... Creepy Stranger: tells a joke Me: 'Sarcastically laughs' Wow you're so funny, are you a comedian? Creepy Stranger: No. Me: Thank god. don't give up your day job.

[@yassinlwest6258]

@@WolfofNightMusic Looool

[@sycamorr]

i gotta say this works much more better lol.. because of...sarcasm. man! i love sarcasm!

[@russbg1827]

I hate when people ask what I do for fun. I have to tell them I watch youtube videos.

[@JamesOsyris]

Pretty obvious solution. Get a hobby

[@Ae0liann]

Pik Osyris sounds boring

[@Violet-tf1rd]

rbg 1827 then... go find yourself a sport or start drawing or get yourself a pet or start a diary or try at photography

[@person8203]

Someone once asked me what my passion was. Told them I couldn't think of anything and they proceeded to talk about their love of photography. That's my experience of smalltalk, it's a gateway for people to talk about themselves.

[@lsour8546]

I tell ppl my hobby is watching youtube videos and constantly learning things. Like dafuq good for you Judy who likes to paint, I watch psychology and social based videos out of curiosity.

[@jeffersfilms]

1. Compliment + Cold Read 2. Open-ended Questions 3. Turn it Into a Game ("Hang on, let me guess") 4. Elicit their Advice or Opinion

[@DanielCarlson]

jeffersfilms you just saved me 9 minutes

[@quantumleap4023]

What is an open ended question?

[@Thatguy7242]

Anything that isn't answered with yes/no

[@KyleHarmieson]

Quantum Leap Funnily enough, you just asked one. A question that takes more to answer than just a standard "yes", "no" "I think", etc. A question that can be answered with either a fact, opinion, or guess.

[@quantumleap4023]

Kyle Harmieson I think you nearly cought on to my subtle humor.

[@ArjanPaijers]

5. Realise that is't not only your responsibility to keep the conversation going. The other one has to put some effort in it too. So if a conversation turns out into an akward silence, it's not only your fault, but also his/hers. Don't blame yourself too much if it doesn't work out every now and then.

[@rassiebarrie6424]

Thanks 😊

[@mariamkettani]

You can get ANY PERSON to talk if ur social enough

[@the_kleetus-yeeyee48]

Not His/Hers, They/them

[@Ghryst]

​@@the_kleetus-yeeyee48 "theirs" will be either a "his" or a "hers". very occasionally there might be a "him" or "her" that has a physiological deformity, but exceptions do not create the rule, they prove the rule.

[@sebbie2009]

@@Ghryst bro came back 4 years later to correct someone 💀

[@nullvoid9154]

This is like learning how to be a human being im fcked lmaoo

[@mynamejeff6051]

Xdd

[@2ndpartycrasher954]

Most of it is obvious ofc, buy when you get nervous talking to people you forget about this natural stuff, and focus on how scared you are, which results in silence and instead now, you can think more clearly

[@officialchickenn]

😂😂

[@donoto2457]

wow, you're so relatable(compliment) are you a virgin?(cold read) did i do it correctly?

[@ancientprezent7916]

@@donoto2457 no mate, he got fcked so he's not virgin

[@MeloFloww]

Her: you’re so funny, like my brother! Me: so why do you have a Brother??

[@travelcoaching]

Try - Thank you for the compliment. Would you like to hear a joke? or Would you like to (insert activity here - go for walk/coffee) so I can make you laugh even more? or, tell me about your brother. This allows her to mention things that you might share with her brother - which allows her to get to know you a little more and you might find that some of those things are qualities or interests she shares as well. Like, well he likes to create his own funny lyrics to songs... and she might say we do that together (tells you something about her). Asking about someone in her world, that she brought up, allows you to learn more about her and the people she likes. Opportunity to find shared interests or things that she gets animated about - when someone becomes animated talking about something, that is a great topic to start asking questions about.

[@jaroslavsvaha6065]

@@travelcoaching "Would you like to go for a walk so I can make you laugh even more?" has to be the creepiest conversational response I've read this week.

[@forestnraindeers3690]

Omg 😂😭

[@ancientprezent7916]

I love the comments

[@justwait6760]

@@jaroslavsvaha6065 DEADASS 🤣 like bruh I dont see ppl actually saying this in real life without coming off as cocky u don't say let's hangout so I can make you laugh more that just sounds cocky

[@theresecadalzo6222]

Me irl "Wow your dress is nice, you must be a swimmer"

[@Lycan_the_deerdog]

me tho. I am awful at talking to people. The main way I make friend is essentially by someone "adopting" me into their group of friends like a stray puppy.

[@lmark1415]

@@Lycan_the_deerdog sameeeeee

[@ThoughtProvokingVlogs]

Therese Exactly, you have to be super self aware to use that technique Your profile pic is nice. Hmm...let me guess....your an...uh, artist? 😂

[@bballmomma5900]

BORC I’m sorry that made me lol but in a good way

[@zaner109]

Therese Cadalzo Wow are you a comedian

[@aidangittings7810]

All these comments are really funny Wish we could be like this irl...

[@jmillol5509]

Ikr

[@TREBLEandGANGSTA]

mood

[@jasmine_milkyflower]

i thought you would say we should all be comedians

[@prolific568]

I had to pause the video because the comment are so funny...I’m just scrolling through dying of laughter.

[@dyslexicdarling898]

I wish 😭

[@nayasimon7931]

This is what helped me: The main solution to conversate without it being awkward is not over analyzing so much. Stop focusing on small things like “how to talk to people” and stuff and you will naturally become more good at speaking to other people because the reason we are so awkward is, our head goes blank and you end not knowing what to say, if we do have something to say we overthink that its not a good question or response so we sit their silent or we have serious social anxiety that makes us think everything we say or do is wrong and every one is judging us. We over analyze people so much but if you really help yourself realize these are just humans they are not superior for you to get nervous to just talk to them the conversation will literally flow as if you were talking to a close friend. I remember watching this video a long while ago and I was binge watching videos on how to act in public and all and non of the advice stuck in my head when it was time to talk or something I literally forgot what to do and how to act and than I realized if I just stop over analyzing everything, everything wouldn’t be so fu**ing hard! YOU GUYS DONT NEED HELP TALKING TO PEOPLE YOH NEED HELP BEING MORE CONFIDENT🤎

[@bananacat9139]

I've to thank you for this, felt like a huge burden just lifted off from my shoulders. I can't agree more with you.

[@musiclearner6799]

effing true

[@MintyCrate2200]

Woah that is a lot of words.

[@hourglassentertainment237]

Thanks so much!

[@vano7235]

Facts!

[@edwardfarrell6340]

The moment I realized that I've done some weird "interview" instead of conversation. Thank you for the tips

[@aWERFRGT6545BGFG]

Yeah I either ask to many questions or none at all

[@mrcool2107]

Dont ask too many questions because the person can feel irritated

[@QuikScoper45]

I don’t get it, how to you carry a conversation? When I’m around people, I’m usually the quiet one, and when they talk, it usually either goes 1. *friend says something* Me: why didn’t I think of that Or 2. *thinks of something potentially funny to say after conversation has ended*

[@LukeSkyblocker]

U just legit ask about everything. They say something that could be built more in conversation, you ask about it. You see something they wore that interests u or could have an impact on the other person, ask them about it

[@Luaxon]

@@LukeSkyblocker I think the problem is that we just don't know _what_ to ask on the spot. For instance, if I find out that my classmate plays Super Smash Bros Ultimate, I ask them what character they main, how far have they gotten in the game... and that's about it. We're like robots, we need a script of questions to ask instead of improvising. xD

[@diegoandres3643]

Luaxon it’s funny that you mention improvising, I’ve thought about joining or making an improv group to help myself be more creative in the moment. I struggle to respond to people, but if I can sharpen my mind, things will come more naturally, instead of me thinking of something 12 hours later 😂

[@frankg846]

Very funny

[@zenreen93]

Im pretty a quiet person myself. But u actually can learn something about them by watching them too. Like what they like to do, what hobby they love to do, their behaviour and their body language, their dislike and likes. Observe that n u can actually trigger a conversation. People loves it when u actually notice a little thing about them or compliment them. Even if you not good in talking , u can always be a good listener. From there, u can actually converse to help them out or creating a simple joke to help them out.

[@NehaDrawsyoutube]

Everyone’s a introvert here....

[@theone7059]

I'm not, I just love learning more things about communicating with people :D

[@Matthew-ll3fp]

No

[@manishj3080]

Yes I'm

[@aperson8215]

:D

[@sockeyesoren]

Ambivert actually, just socially awkward :)

[@077di6]

If you are real confident you don't mind about silence, just talk when you feel like it!

[@user-pz9uj5mj5y]

Compliment + cold read “oh my god ur shoes are so nice, are u illegal?”

[@Lbf5677]

umm :D

[@KhoaNguyen-pg6pi]

Is it legit or fake? xD

[@kiwi9065]

Sounds underage

[@harsham2481]

my friend:*tells an interesting story* me "öhh"

[@keensterd3654]

Lmao that's so me

[@PrimeBrenon]

Drab Lad, same, I’m getting better with it though

[@forestnraindeers3690]

That's me

[@vince4313]

Same but I say “Damn that’s Crazy” After I payed absolutely no attention...Lmao

[@2ndpartycrasher954]

Say something like oh wow, i find(whatever you found interesting in the story) and then talk about it? You could then switch it and ask them things like why did that happen, or has it happened before?

[@sierra6709]

This is my #1 goal to master in the next year. I’m not necessarily shy but I NEVER know what to say and I come off so awkward and shy when I’m not

[@natee7426]

Omg you’re not alone, same here actually!

[@naturezone6655]

Great goal.

[@htxsn9543]

How did it go?

[@happymimi1129]

How did it go?

[@sully1907]

Going well??

[@philipeaderson2373]

* me as a doctor in hospital * Me: how are you? What brings you here todayy? Oh no, actually I want to guess!!

[@Kenopsyaa]

I should be studying but somehow mastering the art of small talk just feels more important at the moment

[@oDuckology]

@Joe Mama 3 days later but same

[@Jk-qd4yr]

@@oDuckology one month later but same

[@jinhitlabels2585]

@@Jk-qd4yr 2 months later but same

[@IXGIGACHADXI]

@Hari one month later but the same

[@yoholas4036]

@@IXGIGACHADXI 9 days later but same

[@nikkibelair8899]

People should stop thinking awkward silences are undesirable. Live with it. Russians never worry about awkward silences, it's basically a part of conversation.

[@colonel_crackers6586]

Sam Knaip good thing over there

[@kslepets]

What are you talking about? Have you met any Russians like that? I'm just asking because I've never ever experienced that in my entire life, maybe it has to do with my personality but still.. Russians seems to be outgoing

[@nick624179]

Yep, Russians have a saying "if you dont have anything to say, then don't"

[@Arsenico971]

Russians, both men and women, can be very talkative when talking is interesting to them, but they don't mind keeping silent otherwise. They don't need to keep talking continuously no matter what.

[@DrewskiTheLegend]

Sam Knaip you see this in inexperienced public speakers. They feel like they have to fill every second of their speech time with them talking or making noises. They end up using more vocal fillers, speaking too quickly when they do that. The real expert speakers and storytellers use silence and pauses as a device to command control of the audience and punctuate their strong points.

[@danielfelipetrivinosantana4197]

Me: Hi Her: Hi Me: so, how you doin? Her: pretty well Me: .. ok Her: ok Me:...bye Her: bye

[@user-jc2jp7rd9f]

Daniel Felipe in that case, it’s the girls fault lmao 😂

[@boldone66]

Oblivion dialogue system

[@mustafadzafic998]

A minute of silence for the fallen brother...

[@liamculbertson3349]

Daniel Felipe me in 6th grade 😂

[@QuikScoper45]

Daniel Felipe right???? Like what are you supposed to say after that?? I don’t understand how people carry conversations

[@callumwilliams2233]

So how long have you been 23? Wait no Shite Nvm

[@forestnraindeers3690]

Lmao

[@onichan8472]

😂

[@EmmaBybee]

“ wait no gimme hints “

[@flintlock178]

I mean, this is fixable. Just try to find a way to angle the question to the month they were born. Go like: So how long have you been 23? I want to see if our astral signs/birthdays line up. Maybe add a joke in after about your perception of people born that month.

[@cjgeterix2120]

Jesus, I wish I could read people this well. Social cues are completely foreign to me sometimes.

[@princejay2617]

CJGeterix tbh

[@r.m2192]

CJGeterix It only really takes practice. I used to be pretty extroverted, then I went through a mental breakdown for a few years, so then I started to socialize again. Now I’m much more comfortable with people however I am still working on improving myself

[@malachiclevenger2562]

-Its Kirbo- true , or he just has anxiety and untrained social skills

[@charlottepatmore1693]

@@r.m2192 I think you meant introvert not extrovert

[@r.m2192]

Al Hafidz No I did mean what I said I believe you misread

[@kennynguyen9808]

Improve small talk 0:56 Why is small talk needed? 1:37 Compliment + Cold Read 2:59 Avoid one word answer question. Ask an open ended question so they can give their opinion, thoughts and ideas. 3:55 Long answer questions 4:36 Guessing game 5:44 Asking others advice/opinion

[@zf5656]

"what do you do for fun" is an annoying question. It's right up there with, what kind of music do you like?

[@linked3970]

Why are you always quiet? Is the most annoying question to me

[@noeliarte6783]

the only thing I would like people to ask me about would be: What kind of music do you like and I would never stop talking.

[@ancientprezent7916]

@@linked3970 why are you so quiet

[@WellPlayedDetective]

@@noeliarte6783 For me it would be kind of a bad question, since I don't like the same music genre as the majority of people here. But while I'm at it what kind of music do you like? :) haha

[@heavenonearth3316]

When I hear questions like this I forget who I am and just say " idk"

[@MystDawg]

“So... How long have you been 24? Ooh, no wait lemme guess... 24 years?”

[@yumne3966]

🤔

[@alexx9058]

1 year? You're 24 only once😂

[@okas_art]

@@alexx9058 LMAOOOO

[@randomdent7957]

Me: *comes up with a joke that matches the situation, nah, no one will laugh* My Friend: Tells the exact joke I'm thinking of Everyone Else: *dying of laughter* Me: *dies inside*

[@joselinehernandez1405]

Such an underrated comment

[@PandaMane]

That's why you have to just say it anyways. If you're in a group of friend nobody with actually judge you that much, so if it's not actually that funny then it's whatever. How do you expect to become confident in your abilities if you never showcase them?

[@eligor-the-wartak]

VERY RELATABLE

[@SuperMohamedadil]

Me : Actually say it but with a low voice My friend who heard it : *Repeats the joke right after like it was his own* Everybody : *Laughs* Me : *Dies inside* Actually it helped me noticing my jokes were funny, if only I could say them louder with commitment. That's a great way to start safe : saying a context joke to one person that concerns an entire group. He will in most cases repeat it to the group when it's funny (except if they're like you), and you'll get confident

[@hikodzu]

Maybe you need to express it more? Because who want to laugh if you tell them a joke while your face expression is flat

[@samanthabiejee]

Wow you really like breathing i think! Do you like oxygen? Yeah.

[@michaelerlanger2797]

I prefer helium. Im on an oxygen free diet.

[@juansek208]

No. You should go with "Why do you like oxygen"?

[@tinabeana4495]

I think that'd be funny to see someone say to someone who had just gotten through an intense workout. xD

[@isaacmoffit5426]

@@squeegy254 *Continues to suffocate*

[@JiihaaS]

"No more awkward silences." Step 1: stop thinking silence is awkward.

[@mrcool2107]

It's not akward but according to script they should talk to us more when we talk to them

[@just_ise4418]

@@mrcool2107 and it's also their fault if there is somehow awkward silence. Anyways, that is inevitable and therefore take it as a learning experience and learn to be comfortable.

[@maggithepink]

I don't like that so many comments here focus on Ben's appearance, so I just want to say: Your video is really helpful and I like that you became a part of this channel :)

[@benjaminaltman4895]

maggithepink thank you! I think I underestimated the amount of critique I was opening myself up to by starting to contribute to the channel, so thanks for saying so :-)

[@maggithepink]

Benjamin Altman I guess people just need time to adjust, so don't take it personal :) Merry Christmas btw :D

[@maciejgrzegorzoprzadek7401]

Nobody cares what you think MEGAN >:(

[@kadencarr1914]

Yeah, it seems that most things are based on appearance as you try to appeal to certain people, yet fail when you lack appearance.

[@me0101001000]

I'm always practising when I take an Uber or Lyft. I'd say that's the best place to practise.

[@benjaminaltman4895]

Aku brilliant idea, great way to practice

[@Blueeyesinthesky]

Oh my gosh! I use it for practice too lol Its great, I've gotten into really good conversations before too

[@canturk_e9651]

practiCe

[@me0101001000]

Dr. Marvel, it's both. Practise is British English, whereas practice is American.

[@iansanchez331]

Sadly doesn't work if you own a car and therefore have no need for such a peasant lifestyle

[@towelthief8293]

1: Compliment and then a guess based on that compliment 2: Avalanche of words (open questions) •Avoid one word answer questions instead use questions the other person can say things other than yes/no/5 years/ •Ask questions the other person wants to answer, about things that he enjoys. Eg: what's exciting these days at work, not how is work - what do you do for fun. Questions about themselves, their characters/personality. 3: Guessing game. Eg: Where are you from? -> Where are you from? Wait, give me two hints to guess. Use this technique with caution, best suited for situations you want the conversation to be enjoyable and funny. Not with your boss. 4: -

[@Active0Bserver]

I have been recovering from social phobia and have been finding these videos incredibly helpful. Practicing talking to people time and time again and walking away most of the time feeling like I was boring or could have done significantly better can be really discouraging, thank you for expanding my tool belt in this process!

[@jayahmed87]

Interviewer: tell me a little about yourself Me: I like apples

[@dev73275]

I hate sand

[@janelledelacruz1615]

Jay Ahmed a girl literally asked me what I like and i said “I like water, a lot”

[@heidigernhardt6064]

i hate small talk

[@NoblesseOblige-17]

Same, same.

[@titanraj5162]

Perhaps that's why we watch such videos.

[@NoblesseOblige-17]

I'd rather avoid small talk than "get better at it". I was just curious what he was going to say.

[@heidigernhardt6064]

Noblesse Oblige same but it's hard to avoid it

[@sexybeast7728]

and yet you are engaging in a small talk on youtube... don't delude yourself. You don't hate small talks, you can't hate small talks (that's like hating the fact you need food to survive), you just hate the fact you suck at small talks, that your social skills are shit. If you think you hate it then you don't understand what small talk is and what is its function in society. Stop that "new-edge" crap that you are a lost individual in this stupid world in which nobody gets you, everybody else is stupid, rules suck, adults are idiots and stuff like that. There are evolutionary reasons, written deep in your essence of being, for why small talks exist. So stop that crap and take control over your steering wheel. I recommend reading "Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins. It puts your life in perspecitve.

[@mordecaiepsilon]

I love when I learn that I'm already doing something good without even thinking about it and although I'm already doing said thing, I can develop it now that I'm aware.

[@KyleHarmieson]

What always impresses me about COC videos is that the hosts always clearly do the video in one (or just a couple) take(s). This proves that they know what they're on about, because they have the confidence to happily speak for 10 minutes at a time on a topic.

[@nickthorpe7567]

Ben’s teeth are whiter than his shirt!!! Do you drink coffee/ wine?

[@benjaminaltman4895]

Nick Thorpe hahaha thanks Nick. So I’m just gonna out myself here, I do drink coffee but I use a Koffee Straw (from Amazon). I feel like a goofball doing it but it keeps my teeth from going brown haha

[@AwksomeAna]

did u just use the first technique

[@harisditta5695]

Compliment plus cold read

[@simpleman7203]

Damn, boy, you learn fast 😁

[@nickthorpe7567]

I didn’t even realize I did it 😂

[@Masterslam999]

Funnily enough, I have tried some of the things in the video and I didn't have much success. There was this girl I met once via a mutual friend that I swear was (and is) the most boring person around. Here's a little bit of how it went: She learned from our mutual friend that I play music, so she asked me about it. I explained that it's the most interesting thing to happen to my life and that it's imperative for people to have an "escape" from reality, where they can do their own thing . In a small amount of time I had given her my thoughts about it, plus a general opinion about people and their life. Plenty of stuff to go about right? Wrong. She didn't have anything to say to that, so I naturally followed it up with: "And what do you do for fun? What gets your life going?" She gave me a half answer: "Not much. Maybe a walk here and there. Maybe hanging out with friends." And that was it. I tried asking her a bit more. I tried giving my own examples, while also trying not to talk too much as to "overpower" her. Then, I remembered that, one day we had gathered with a bunch of friends (herself included) to play card games. So I told her: "Oh, but you were so good at poker at [that time]! I bet you work half-time at a casino or something. She just told me "No I don't." At that point I realized that no matter how good you are at conversation and how much you try to improve, there are people that you just can't seem to get a word out of. It is kind of disheartening, but it is what it is!

[@ac9938]

This helps because I am an introvert. I DISLIKE small talk but talk to me about life, what makes you happy, etc & ill be talking for hours.

[@Chiramisudo]

As someone who struggles with their social filter and for that reason loathes small talk because of the accompanying awkwardness, I appreciate this video.

[@11219tt]

I appreciate the effort to be much more enthusiastic and extroverted. Definitely giving me ideas of how to chill out not be so nervous and keep it light and fun like I was talking to a friend. It seems like it’s about being really relaxed and taking those thoughts we have in our heads and saying them out loud.

[@ameliah8122]

I'm so bad at talking Hey Hey How are you? Good, you? Good Cool Yeah Ok Bye Bye

[@TheSingleGuy]

I like videos like this, everyone wants to get past small talk but I always see it as an avenue to cool and interesting topics about the person. You have to start somewhere and small talk, if done right is a great way to do it.

[@curtisfoster4256]

This is the kind of video I like. Brief enough. Knows his stuff. Review at the end. Good, useful material. 👑

[@Zimited]

As a person that hasn’t been actively social every day, I found almost all of your videos to contain extremely useful information that I didn’t know where I’d find otherwise. Now I know so much more. I’ve literally spent all night now just watching your vids.

[@marbles7649]

Here's my advice: don't overthink it, just go out and socialize. I swear you learn more naturally just by doing it. also understand that not every joke will land and sometimes it will be awkward, you're just trying your best to minimize that. some of this is good advice though. For example, the guessing game thing is actually really good advice. Don't be afraid to be playful with it too. Asking for their advice/opinion is really good advice too. If you overthink it and treat a conversation like a math equation you probably will come across poorly though. Imo practice is the most important thing here. These are good things to have in the back of your mind but they shouldn't dominate the conversation. OmeTv and similar places are a good place to get actual practice too edit: just realized this comment is 6 years old. hope things turned out alright for you in the end

[@alexbabin3127]

Hey Ben, I just want to say that you are really good at what you do. A lot of people have been commenting about them missing Charlie; but that's probably because of them being more used to him - I can understand that. Nevertheless, you are doing an equally amazing job. Introducing a new face to the audience is never easy, but you DO fit in this channel's theme as if you've been here since the very beginning. Great work and keep it up!

[@benjaminaltman4895]

Thanks Alex! I really appreciate your comment :-) I totally get the growing pains and understand where they’re coming from, but it isn’t always fun to read. Comments like yours really bring me up and inspire me to try to make great videos for you :-)

[@organiqselfawareness8492]

@@benjaminaltman4895 I am new to this channel and I would have never said that you were new to the channel either. I appreciate what this channel provides to those as myself who are feeling trapped by not being able to socialize. I was only able to socialize easily when I was drinking and when I stopped drinking I started feeling stuck, shy and unconfident like I have no personality. I am learning so much from you and this channel thank you, you are an a amazing soul.

[@ItsKroov]

Just listening to you talk made me feel better today. You remind me of a guy I used to work with and with him small talk was super natural and I loved talking with him. I'm 17 and he was around 20 years old but we talked as if we already knew each other and I must have used all the tips you gave in this video without knowing! I guess it comes naturally with some people?

[@hhannahhmichelle]

So happy I found your page! I do hair and usually talk is somewhat natural but sometimes, depending on the client, conversation can be difficult. These tools are so helpful

[@cnasaraha.2140]

Great video thats something I was always wanting to know. Thank you!

[@benjaminaltman4895]

Sarah A. My pleasure! Glad you liked it :-)

[@Vikt0rian]

What about a video on how to deal with Jealousy? That'd be cool. (Not somebody else's necessarily, but your own.)

[@dancevoyager]

they have already a somewhat similiar video. It's called "why you don't feel good enough" . highly recommend it, although he doesn't explicity dive into that topic, it's part of the lesson there

[@dancevoyager]

romantic jealousy isn't any different from jealousy in general, correct me if I'm wrong I'm not and expert, but the root cause of jealousy is first our need for comparison to someone else which comes from the feeling of you not being enough and not having enough self-love. Insted of comparing you to yourself only. Cultivate self-love and the jelaousy shall go slowly away. Now I know, easier said than done, it takes time for sure, but that's the jist of it IMO. Because the inner voices that stir our thoughts when jealousy kicks in are horrible, and if we confront it, they can even grow stronger initially and that's why it is also scarry to do that. But it is also what we must do. These guys explain it way better, but I also fuse the lessons from their videos and combine them because the massages containt a whole variaty of useful information

[@sexybeast7728]

All such emotions come from fear of something. Track that fear down then rationalize your way into thinking that it is okay to fear that thing. Basically, just accept the fear and move on

[@d.c.copeland2137]

I really appreciate you for making this video! Great advice for icebreakers. I'm usually great with conversation once we get comfortable but these are fast-track comforting scenarios. Good stuff! Thanks man

[@koruennsswood6026]

Just today I had a very nice conversation with someone I didn't know very well and it's hilarious as almost all the points mentioned were present at the time. I'm watching this video just 6 hours after that conversation, and I find it funny to identify each point as a reason why I enjoyed it so much xD Great job dude

[@rods2887]

I liked your tips. I would add "be fully present during the conversation" because many times I feel like we just don't pay attention to someone so there's just some strange "energy" going on that shows you might be not real interested because you are worring if you are doing right and trying to think about the next question so you end up being disconnected, which is the opposite of what you wanted. A big hello from Brazil. Thanks!

[@uumatter_0106]

Me: *Makes a Joke* Girl: Loughs a little *Achievement: How did we get here?*

[@louielin1218]

I'm a new direct seller and I just had the worst conversation I've ever been through of my life. And I'm here

[@johnwillis7674]

These kind of videos really do help if you apply them. I can for the most part hold a conversation and not be awkward.

[@Skylinesandsunsets]

It's refreshingly different and wonderful when I come across an advice video on youtube that's actually helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about small talk with us, it truly has helped me broaden my social skills and therefore raised my chances of social success. Keep up the great work!

[@Charismaoncommand]

~ Glad you found it helpful!

[@onezestytambourinebeat6215]

A pretty good conversation question is “what’s a favourite book of yours?” Either you get some good book recs or you can give some book recs if they don’t have an answer

[@lunalienie]

Hi Ben, you seem like a genuinely good person. Thanks for sharing your thoughts & tips with us, hope you have a wonderful holiday!

[@andreaussantos]

Love what all of you are achieving on this Chanel. Your videos have helped a lot and I’ve Probaly just seen about all of them. I’ve took the advice to heart and set my self on making a change and now life is a lot happier and clearer. So thank y’all and I stick behind what you stand for.

[@Charismaoncommand]

~ That's awesome! Glad to hear the channel's making such a positive impact. :-)

[@gamingwithbre4747]

Me: What do you do for fun? Stranger: Read *walks away* Me: Well that didn't work...

[@xx_blitz_xx_80]

Lmao

[@jendrivesajeep6656]

Merry Christmas Ben! I'll be seeing family today so I'm excited to use these tips!

[@benjaminaltman4895]

Jennifer Micek Merry Christmas to you too Jennifer! Hope you have fun with this :-)

[@adrianhosak734]

J

[@michealnick8732]

H.e.l.l.o

[@shenron_cs]

thank you my friend Cameron finally accepts me and talks to me now ever since i watched this video and followed ur tips, thanks bro!

[@Flacojhit]

how else is watching this on Christmas 2022 crazy how i searched this up and its the same month still tells you how advanced yt has gotten

[@1BlueEyeCreativeStudio]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Ben & Charlie! I hope that you had a great holiday! ...I just thought I'd share this with you... People on the autism spectrum could really benefit from some of the life lessons that you guys teach, especially in regard to conversational etiquette. Autistic people often have an inability to judge what kinds of interactions are appropriate, and which are not. They have to learn the appropriate responses to each individual situation, and often have trouble applying what they've learn to other situations. I think that the format you have might be helpful to individuals that have trouble interacting on the fly. This'd be especially true if they have difficulty reading facial expressions. Obviously, it's not going to fix all of the challenges that autism comes with, but it could be a step in the right direction towards living a fuller life. Workplace etiquette, appropriate social interactions, how to know when someone isn't interested in your chosen topic of conversation, etc. You guys give very specific suggestions that may help people with autism, for whom simple interactions can be confusing and intimidating. I don't know how you would attract this particular audience, or how (or if) the focus of the company would change if you did. But, it's a whole new target market that might really benefit from the work you do. Could even be an opportunity to do some non-profit work. Just throwing the idea out there.

[@ClickerPets]

Hey Ben and Charlie! I love watching your videos. I’ve seen a huge difference in my charisma and confidence since watching your videos. I’d love it if you could make a video about how to converse with and brighten a customer’s day when your interaction with them is very short (under 1-2 minutes). I work at Chipotle and while I usually converse and joke with our regulars, I often run out of questions for the average guest apart from “how’s your day going” or “how are you going to enjoy this beautiful day” or compliments. What are some good questions to make a connection with our guests? Thanks and Merry Christmas!

[@ethanpeytonn]

The compliment+cold read is something i do sarcastically to my friends all the time

[@pineysilver4406]

Thanks for these tips - I like how you've concentrated on making small talk *fun*. Would love to hear more ideas like this.

[@xcvsdxvsx]

This seems way too hard. I would never remember any of this in the high stress situation of interacting with a human being.

[@KT_M]

Wow I love the idea of the guessing game. In certain situations I can see that working really well! Always learn so much from your videos! Thanks :

[@benjaminaltman4895]

Katie M my pleasure :-). I love the guessing game, not just because of the game itself - in general I think it changes the conversation to a more fun friendly vibe

[@karenclements7497]

@@benjaminaltman4895 It seems you could answer the clues with goofy guesses.

[@HereForWisdom]

The fact that y’all do these helpful videos in one continuous take is impressive

[@learnenglishasap-charlotte4784]

Small talk is such a valuable skill. Thanks for the video!

[@ZaNe-wx7uy]

I am a project manager's assistant at an architect company, and sometimes I have to go with her to construction sites in her car. I had to learn to hold a small talk VERY quickly. At first, it was awkward, and I felt as if I was in a social experiment (she is my boss and it made everything even more awkward). Thank god she usually has a lot to say, and in the meantime, I can think about questions and what to add to this conversation. It is like a real-life IQ test. It is hard and it is a skill I certainly need to master. Nobody told me that I would have to handle small talk situations when I applied to this job :D

[@stelwellings645]

Lol, perfect video for Christmas reunions.

[@andromedaj2894]

i really like this video because anxiety makes me forget how to, yanno, be a person, so these lil tips are so so helpful

[@youtubeuser377]

This is the first video on small talk that has actually helped me

[@PauloNideck]

That was a great video! It felt like a 1 minute video. Thanks for sharing the knowledge

[@Charismaoncommand]

~ Awesome! Glad you like it. :-)

[@luhoozie2916]

I'm so awkward that I made a friend by asking, "What's your last name?" XD

[@thetoad104]

You are right, I have noticed recently that he best coffee shop experiences I have had which makes me want to return is when I have small talk and banter with the cashier's who normally start it, also it makes it easier for them to convince you to buy a more expensive drink than what you would normally get, but to be fair if you are charming it will work, so much I have to learn lol

[@waqarikram8323]

Wow! I have watched so many videos of yours in a day. You're doing a good job! Keep it up.

[@Xgil2Play]

Oh okay, so small talk is essentially turning a question into a statement.

[@david_oliveira71]

Damn thanks for that, because, well, Introvert things like small talk, right?!

[@ericamulondo210]

My go-to-channel on communication is for sure this one! Really informative, insightful and pretty awesome -

[@Andy_Arkadata]

thanks man, i've been living with my dog for a while now but I haven't worked up the courage to start a conversation till now

[@ManuelHernandezSalazar]

PLS guys! Make a video about 'How to meet people when you just moved', I actually need it :D

[@jaymywills]

Dude.... I dont know how I stumbled on this video, but I'm glad I did! Very informative! #Subscribed

[@valeriesze]

I had some nervous meeting with my boss, then I decide to search for this in KZbin. It never disappoints me.

[@DummyForceRed]

Wow! The raffle is such an amazing idea and an opportunity I never realized I wanted; my mind has just been opened to what can improve in area I never before thought to be needed. Thanks for helping me change so much for the better this year. This channel is just AMAZING! Thanks so much for sharing the brilliant advice you do. All the best for the new year to come guys! I look forward to learning more! :)

[@Charismaoncommand]

~ Glad the channel's making such an impact!

[@DaughterofYHWH77]

Merry Christmas! I have a nagging issue that I know you could make a video about. You do a lot of videos about how to be more attractive and escape the friend zone but what I need, as a female is how to be friendly without people thinking I'm interested in a relationship. I am naturally a people person and have never struggled with conversations or charisma, but what I find happens a lot is that it's often mistaken for me being "into" them, when I'm just being nice. I hate having friend zone people, because they ask me out and say I was giving them signs I like them. it makes me feel really bad and I wonder how many times I can get away with saying no before someone takes it badly and something bad happens. Thank you for your time, I hope this gives you a new video topic, have a great day :)

[@benjaminaltman4895]

Opheliacinthelake hi! Did you see the Wonder Woman video? Charlie and I don’t have firsthand experience being a woman so to be candid we have to imagine or ask female friends for something like this, but Charlie included something on this when talking about Gal Gadot that will hopefully be helpful!

[@djWOOF]

fart in front of them

[@DaughterofYHWH77]

Hi Benjamin Altman no I didn't see that one, I don't think it was in my feed :/ thank you so much for your reply, it's greatly appreciated for you to take time to read and reply. I will do and check out the video now. 😁 sorry for late reply, wasn't feeling well over the last week. Have a fabulous new year BTW Gratitude and best wishes from England

[@DaughterofYHWH77]

DJ Woof lmao good idea 😉

[@DaBezzzz]

Benjamin Altman Also, a video about how to tell the difference between a girl just being nice versus her actually liking you would be very, VERY helpful. Keep up the good work, man. You're awesome.

[@markandrie6913]

The best 9 minutes of my life. Thanks.

[@mrboi-eq9wj]

I feel good about this video because it is useful at the same time i feel embarrassing because I'm watching a tutorial about how to talk to people.

[@isaacmoffit5426]

In the beginning, you said "Merry Christmas" and I was like "Oh this again..." But then you said "If you celebrate it", and I felt included and considered. Thank you.

[@absw6129]

My way of making small talk: "Hey, so I just watched a tutorial on small talk. Can I try some techniques on you?"

[@hikodzu]

Me : go to barbershop to get a haircut Barber : so what style do you want? Me : *telling him the style i want Barber : Ok. *Start cutting my hair Me : ................ Barber : ………… Me : ………… Barber : *done cutting my hair Me : *giving him money Me : Thanks dude, goodbye Barber : Goodbye Me : going back to my habitat .................

[@vasipro]

You improved! Love it! Really happy for you!

[@unbentundefeated6952]

The journey of 10,000 miles starts with a single step my brother. Stay strong.