1. 換個方式問"How are you?"

"How are you doing right now?"

"How’s your day been so far?"

同樣是問"你過得怎樣?"但是如此問的效果要好很多，因為沒人想去回答甚至思考一下像"How are you?"這樣一個過于陳腐的問題。

2. 人們總是樂意談論最近發生的新鮮事

"What’s happened for you today?”

"How was your trip?"

"How’d you sleep last night?"

3. 借助情境，簡單評論一下身邊事物：

"What do you think of that book?"

"Looks like a great drink. What is it?"

"I love this place because it’s got great energy."

4. 以贊美來開頭

"I like your posture. It makes you stand out nicely."

"Nice shirt. Where did you get it?"

"I love your style!"

5. 談談天氣：

"It’s so hot today."

"The great sun is burning this afternoon."

"It’s freezing! Do you know the temperature?"

這個方式經常被提到，但是美國漫畫家Kin Hubbard說，"Don’t knock the weather. Nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while."要用天氣這種通常情況下沒有太多變化的東西來發起談話并非一定容易，所以也不可過分倚重于此。

6. 降低姿態：

"I don’t know anyone around here so I thought I’d come talk to you."

"I’m a little nervous talking with strangers, but I just had to come say hi."

"I know no one here so I thought I’d introduce myself to you."

這類我們可以稱之為"vulnerable introduction"，也就是在開場白中顯露出自己的惶恐憂慮，這樣比較容易讓人愿意接近。

7. 坦率表明自己想要接近的原因：

"I’m out meeting new, interesting people tonight. Mind if we chat for a minute?"

"You guys look like you’re having fun. That’s so cool that I just had to come talk to you."

"I had to come talk to you because your shirt made me laugh."

8. 了解即時訊息，談談熱門事件：

"I was just listening to radio on my way here and can’t believe what happened in Africa."

如果你不是那種喜歡啃報紙、聽新聞的人，那就可以以詢問對方有什么新鮮事的方式來發起談話。另外，在這樣的對話中可以多用些幽默來緩解一下緊張嚴肅的氣氛。