Don’t be afraid to use gestures that say, “I’d like to chat with you”
Be the one who speaks first
Anyone can talk back to someone, but real people-meeters know the trick is starting a chat out of the blue
Work on your chit chat charm
finding something that you two share — that could easily be something in your environment, like the weather or the huge new billboard that went up across the street
Then...stop talking
Next time you start a conversation, make an effort to ask the person you’re chatting with at least three questions before making another observation of your own. That will get you in the groove of letting the other person open up to you... and it shows your level of appreciation for what someone else has to say. And when people feel appreciated, chances are, they’ll want to continue that conversation.
This was something interesting I ran across on yahoo the other day.
More details here
