There is nothing more important to dating than small talk. Small talk gets you in the door. Small talk opens up a relationship. Small talk reveals who you are and what you’re about. If you plan on being good at dating, you had better get a good grasp on the art of conversation.

Someone who is great at small talk can handle many conversations on a number of different levels. It’s like hooking up to an X-box and being proficient at many different games or getting quizzed with trivia and knowing most of the answers. Conversation is complex and you need to be able to start and contribute to a wide range of topics. One of the best ways to do this is to be well schooled in the world around you. You can do this by reading the paper or news magazines. You can also go online and check out news portals. Devote part of your day to feeding your brain. Making small talk while on a date gets much easier if you are well read.

Dating small talk should revolve around subjects that appeal both to you and your date. It can be hard to figure out what will be a hit and miss if you haven’t had any lengthy discussions beforehand. Hopefully you have spent some time gathering information about them. If you met online, go check out their profile. There should be a number of topics mentioned there that you can use when making small talk. If she rides horses, read up a little on horseback riding. Maybe check out some trails in your area or places where you can go riding for a day. If he’s into The Simpsons, watch an episode or two. Figure out who the characters are and why Bart’s mom is purple. Dating profiles are killer sources for information for making small talk with dates, so make sure to use them to your advantage! If you don’t have a profile to use, you can probably look back at the emails that were sent to you or your instant messaging logs to find the little details that may have rolled in one ear and dropped out the other. If you don’t have any information on the person you’re dating – what the heck are you doing out with them? You’ve made your own bed so you have to lie in it! If you get caught napping like that just once, I’m sure you’ll go out of your way to prep for small talk before any and every date that follows!

“Small talk is about more than running your mouth. Small talk when dating is also about listening.”

Small talk requires questions. Your date won’t appreciate it if all you can do is spout about yourself. Any relationship should have equal parts of give and take. If you’re mouth is doing most of the moving, it’s time to throw the ball back into their court. Ask questions that begin with “how” or “what.” They usually elicit the best answers and keep people talking more than a yes or no question. Questions show you’re interested in the person you’re with. Small talk is about more than running your mouth. Small talk when dating is also about listening.

When people are speaking, you need to pay attention so that you can use what they say for further small talk. You shouldn’t be zoning out or checking out some guys or girls butt. Listening to what’s being said will give you clues as to where to steer small talk next. If you listen, you’ll find that you’ve already won half the battle when it comes to dating conversations.

Being great at dating small talk just takes a desire to improve and a curious mind. Working on your skills can take time, but you have a lifetime to practice. Try talking to the clerk at the grocery store or the woman down the street who is twice your age. You need to get good at small talk with many different types of people so that no matter who you’re dating, you’ll never be caught without something great to say!