Crossing the Small Talk Chasm

I'm in company sales conferences all week. It's a great opportunity to meet counterparts from our other media properties.

I've always know that the more I know about a person or business, the better I am at creating more targeted ideas for their specific situation. The formal presentations at these conferences are excellent for learning more about the BUSINESS, but what about the PERSON?

Spending so much time with my face buried in books and browsers makes me feel a little geeky and a bit of a social retard when dealing with individuals unknown to me. All insecurities evaporate once I get a chance to know them -- but how to cross that chasm...

Could this article possible have come along at a better time??

It's a lesson in how to avoid silly small talk altogether and have a real conversation.