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Say your name, and if it’s an unusual name you might add spelling or a rhyme that the person can use to help remember your name.  If appropriate, add a detail about the reason you’re at the party. For example, “I’m Pam’s daughter,” if the people at the party are friends of your mother, or “I’m an anthropology major,” if this is a college department party. You can follow up by asking the other person to say his own name, but most of the time people respond by introducing themselves without being asked. People always like to hear nice things said about themselves. To have a great conversation with someone you’ve just met, say something nice about something the person is wearing. At most parties, other guests will have taken care with their appearance and will appreciate the attention.  You can also use a compliment to start a conversation by pairing it with a question. For example, you might say, “That’s a really cool scarf. Where did you get it?” Avoid compliments about the person’s appearance, as this might make her uncomfortable. If you don’t know anyone at the party, it’s okay to say so. This is easily done as you introduce yourself. For example, “Hi, I’m Mike. I hope you don’t mind, but I don’t know anyone here and you seemed nice.”  If the person is an extrovert, they may be happy to chat with you and introduce you to others in the group. Chances are, others may be in a similar situation. If you’re both newcomers to the group, you can laugh and talk about the challenges of being in this situation. There are certain topics that are likely to be met with awkward silence. If you don’t already know the political orientation of the party-goers, for example, never bring up the topic of politics or you might find yourself unintentionally offending others.  Don’t bring up overly personal details, whether of money, sex, illness or intimacy. Save these topics for people you know well. Making judgmental comments isn’t likely to be appreciated. For example, “You’d think she would know better than to wear that color with her complexion,” may not be appreciated. Never ask a woman if she’s pregnant. If she’s gained weight, she may feel embarrassed. Make brief eye contact with other people. A slight smile will help others know that you’re open to conversation.   When someone speaks to you, look at them attentively at least 70% of the time. Angle the front of your body towards the person who’s talking, which will help the person know you’re listening. You don’t want to maintain eye contact for too long, as this might seem aggressive or overly flirtatious. Instead, limit the eye contact for 4-5 seconds, before looking away, then looking again. If you don’t know anyone at the party, no one will have heard you tell your favorite funny anecdotes. Think about sharing a funny thing that happened to you. This will make you seem more relatable and friendly.  Be careful not to tell a story that may offend others. After all, humor is sometimes different across different groups of people. If you have a good story, it can fill in a conversational lull. Or you can connect your story to someone else’s statement, saying, “That reminds me of something that happened to me one time…” Making small talk is a way of sharing general information with another person as a means to learn what you might have in common. For example, asking about favorite movies is often a good way to find mutual interests. Something as simple as asking about the recent blockbuster can lead into multiple conversational paths.  Making small talk might lead to deeper conversations, or it might not. Small talk is often less about the information shared than the good feelings that it provides. You’ll want to stick to non-intimate, non-controversial topics to keep your conversation on a light note. One of the things you’ll have in common with everyone else at the party is that you’re both there. Perhaps you all had to battle traffic to get to the party. Use this as a means to get to know other people, whether through questions, comments, or observations.  Be unfailingly complimentary in your comments. This would be the wrong time to complain about the lack of your favorite drink, or how you’ve always hated evening gatherings. You could ask other people how they know the hostess, or if this is their first time among the group also. When you're nervous about not knowing anyone at a party, it might be difficult to concentrate on the conversations that come up. It will help your focus to repeat parts of what another person has said to assure them you've heard what was said. Use nonverbal cues, such as nodding, eye contact, and leaning towards the person, to let the other guest know that you're actively listening to what she has to say.  Try to avoid talking over the other person while she’s talking, even if she’s talking about a topic you’re interested in. Ask plenty of open-ended questions about topics the other guest has brought up in order to keep the conversation going. Be sensitive to the emotions that the conversation is bringing up in the person. Generally, party conversations tend to be fun and light. If you find your conversation getting too intense or emotional, it's okay to back off a little. Look for subtle signals in body language to help you gauge whether you should change the topic or find someone new to talk with. Be observant--these are signs you should be able to notice in almost everyone you meet.  For example, if someone is making eye contact with you and nodding, they're interested in the conversation. Keep talking to them and doing what you're doing! If they're facing partially away from you or glancing around the room, they're not very engaged. Change the topic back to them with a question or find another person you haven't yet introduced yourself to. gracefully. Conversations at parties start and end rapidly, and if you’re talking with someone you’ve just met, it’s a good idea not to keep the conversation going on too long.  Have an excuse prepared for needing to leave. This is a time when it’s okay not to tell the truth. You can always say, “I have to get up early tomorrow,” or even just, “Please, excuse me. I need to find the ladies’.” You can say, “It was nice to meet you,” or “Great talking to you!” Some people like to shake hands, but at some parties this might be too formal. If you like, you can include an excuse for breaking off the conversation. For example, you can say, “I don’t want to dominate your evening,” or “I should probably let you talk to other people here.”

Summary:
Introduce yourself to other guests. Pay a compliment to start a conversation. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Avoid bringing up conversation killers. Make sure your body language is friendly. Tell a funny story to put others at ease. Be prepared to make small talk. Talk about the party or setting. Be an active listener. Pay attention to feedback to choose topics of conversation. End the conversation