‘Certified small talker’ reveals genius conversations starters

A woman has revealed her favorite conservations starters that will help you get through holiday parties – without the awkward small talk. 

Erin G, who goes by @therincycle on TikTok, from Los Angeles, California, is a self-proclaimed ‘certified small talker’ with genius ways to strike up a conversation with those distant family members or co-workers during the holiday season. 

In a viral TikTok video, she shared how you can survive small talk during the invites you can’t skip out on – and all you will need to do is listen. 

Erin G, from California, has revealed her favorite conservations starters that will help you get through holiday parties – without the awkward small talk

She is a self-proclaimed ‘certified small talker’ who has detailed genius ways to survive small talk from asking others for ‘advice’ and to requesting ‘recommendations’

From never asking ‘yes or no questions’ to asking your conversation partners questions you can get ‘something out of’, Erin shared how to strike up chats

Erin notes that the number one rule you should follow is never asking ‘yes or no’ questions if you’re trying to keep the conversation going without any cringeworthy pauses. 

She added that instead, you should ask, ‘Is this a busy time of year for you?’ 

‘Everyone has an answer because people love to talk about how busy they are,’ Erin explained. 

‘And then all you do is sit there and soak it in. You don’t have to talk at all. If you don’t like talking, that’s the question to ask everyone,’ Erin added. 

The TikToker’s next surefire question that will aid you in beginning a chat is: ‘What are your upcoming plans?’  

She explained that you can ask them about ‘any kind of plans.’   

‘What do you have coming up for New Year’s Eve? Do you have any trips coming up soon? What do you got going on this weekend?

‘Anything that lets them chit-chat, and also you get to find out some fun stuff. 

‘I’ve heard about a lot of really good things just by asking people, “What do you got going on this weekend?”‘

If you dread small talk, Erin advised you ask a question you can get something out of, such as advice. 

‘I always think a good question to ask around the table is, “What advice did you get this year that you would want to pass on?”

‘I think it’s a really nice alternative to asking, “What are you thankful for?”‘ 

The TikToker’s next surefire question that will aid you in beginning a chat is: ‘What are your upcoming plans?’

And now that her tips have made you an expert at striking up conversation, Erin noted you will need to find a way out of those talks

In a follow up video, she shared genius conversations closers because ‘every conversation must come to an end’

And if all of Erin’s previous tips fail – which is unlikely according to the ‘certified small talker’, she said you can can always ask the person your engaging in conversation with for suggestions.    

‘My favorite thing about this is you give a little and you get a lot,’ she said.  

‘So, let’s say I wanna ask about new music. I would say, “I’ve been listening to so much funk music lately, but I kind of want to branch out. What have you been into?” [or] “I’ve been trying to wean myself off TikTok. What apps have you been trying?”‘

She emphasized the importance of asking questions that you receive something from to make those talks seem less dreadful. 

And now that her tips have made you an expert at striking up conversation, Erin noted you will need to find a way out of those talks. 

In a follow up video, she shared genius conversations closers because ‘every conversation must come to an end’ and the certified small talker wants to make sure you aren’t left wanting to bolt out of the door after a long night of chats that leave you ‘stuck’ talking to those distant family members.

‘Lets say you’re at a dinner party or something with a host, all you have to do is go check on the host, [so you say] “I thought Tina said she needed help bring some bags in, I’m going to go do that, it was so good to catch up.”‘ 

The next tip for closing a chat is ‘all about reading the room’ Erin noted, before adding that she calls this method the ‘pie line.’ 

She also advised you close out a conversation by ‘circling back’ to a topic discussed or excusing yourself

She suggests you say, ‘Oh it looks like the pie line is open, I’m dying to get a piece of that sweet potato, so good to catch up.’ 

Erin added that if her pie line trick doesn’t work, you can ‘circle back’. 

To ‘loop’ back to the conversation, the TikToker suggested you say, ‘I really loved how you handled that situation with your boss, I’m going to remember that, [it was] so good catching up.’ 

And if you’re conversation partner was telling you all about their upcoming vacation, Erin has a tip for ending that small talk too.

‘Have a great time in Peru, I can’t wait to hear about it,’ she suggested you say, before adding that this is her ‘favorite option’ because it shows that you were engaged in the conversation, but still gives you a way out. 

Erin’s last way to end small talk is to ‘excuse yourself.’ 

‘You can excuse yourself for a call, a text message, you can say “Oh I have to respond to something for work”, or you can just excuse yourself in general, you don’t really need to do anything. 

‘I think it’s nice to add some humanity, especially because people don’t engage with each other as much anymore,’ she said at the end of her video. 

Viewers couldn’t thank her enough for helping them get out of those awkward conversations they were bound to encounter and even called her tips ‘gold’

And since the holiday season means holiday parties, viewers couldn’t thank her enough for helping them get out of those awkward conversations they were bound to encounter. 

One user said: ‘You’re saving lives out here.’ 

‘Dude this advice is literally gold. Thank you,’ commented another user.   

Another user added: ‘Most useful post ever!’

‘This is so helpful, thank you,’ said one user.

‘This is genius. Sincerely thank you,’ wrote another user.

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