The 3-minute Conversation Guideline
People begin to judge you in the first moments of meeting. Conversation involves listening. People will feel better about you if you listen to what they have to say and carry on a good conversation.
Good networking involves the 3-minute conversation guideline. Share the conversation. Don’t talk too long. Wise networking is to talk for about 3 (three) minutes and then give the other person a chance to talk. Ask them open-ended questions to give them an opportunity to carry their side of the conversation. If you are with an introvert or shy person continue to ask open-ended questions to encourage them to talk for a while. Don’t try to fill the silence with more talking on your end. Show interest in the person you are with. Some examples of open-ended questions are “Tell me about some of your interests and hobbies?”
If they say they like to read for example ask, “What book are you reading now? What is it about? What is your favorite book and why?”
Another good networking guideline is to not take over the story of the person whose turn it is to talk. For example, if the person talking says they went to Paris last year and you’ve been to Paris also, don’t jump in with that information. Allow the person to talk about their Paris experience and to share their story first. Ask them questions about their trip and adventure. Then when it is your turn to talk you can share your Paris story.
