Join Debra Fine for her fast-paced, interactive and entertaining presentation The Fine Art of Small Talk. Together we’ll laugh, learn and leave with insightful and informative conversation tips and techniques on how to strike up conversations and keep them going, avoid conversation “killers”, exit conversations with grace and develop business, non-profit, volunteer and personal relationships.

Learn how to turn every meeting or conference, interaction with a client or colleague, social event with a spouse/partner and networking event into an opportunity for success.

Focus on rapport building techniques, conversation and mingling skills, gaining visibility, making a positive impression and networking tips that help build face to face business relationships. Presentations are informative, interactive and entertaining; tailored to the priorities and challenges of those in the audience.

Participants learn how to:

• Approach new people
• Quickly establish rapport and converse easily with new acquaintances
• Start conversations and keep them going
• Avoid sending contradictory or confusing signals about yourself
• Employ easy-to-use “active” listening techniques that will make communication more effective and help clarify the meaning behind the message
• Exhibit positive basic body language
• Prevent the most common conversation blunders that create a negative impression
• Master introductions and remember names
• Make an unforgettable positive first impression
• Demonstrate that you’re a positive and self-confident professional
• Turn every business meeting, conference and interaction into an opportunity for success
• Experience more ease at business conferences, networking occasions, receptions and meetings
• Exit conversations with grace

Leaders learn the technical skills required for career success, often overlooking the importance of conversation and rapport building skills. The ability to talk easily with anyone is a learned skill, not a personality trait. Acquiring it will help develop rapport within organizations, raise visibility and create liaisons with the community at large and leaving a positive impression that lasts longer than an exchange of business cards.

In the competitive world of business more emphasis is placed on developing personal business relationships than has been expected in the past. The leader who avoids opportunities to meet new people or whose conversation is frozen by these meetings will limit themselves professionally as well as personally.

Attendees will gain the tools to:

• Strike up conversations and keep them going
• Master introductions and remember names
• Come across as composed and self-assured when talking to people or entertaining clients at conventions, trade shows and other work related functions
• Develop rapport with stake holders.
• Become an “active” listener
• Overcome communication barriers
• Handle awkward situations
• Come up with topics to discuss
• Avoid conversation “killers”
• Prepare for successful conversation
• Exit conversations with grace
• Feel more at ease at award receptions, banquets, receptions and networking events