Become a more interesting person by using conversation sparkers.

These swaps, when tested at Venessa’s lab, were much more stimulating than the worn out phrases. The most popular sparkers in her lab: “What personal passion project are you working on?” and “What’s your story?” Also, research called “The Oddball Experiments” by Dr. Nico Bunzeck found that things that strike novelty and are odd stick out more in our memories. When you practice using intriguing questions, people will be more likely to pay attention and want to hold a conversation with you.

1. Convert the predictable conversation starters into engaging ones to become more memorable.
   The usual “Hi, how are you?” conversation starters are forgettable and repetitive. It’s time for that to change. To get someone to be more engaged, convert the following:
   • “Hi, how are you?” into “What’s been the highlight of your day?”
   • “How’s your work going?” into “Any exciting projects you’re working on?”
   • “Where are you from? into “What’s your story?”
   • “So are you busy?” into “What do you do in your free time?”
   • “So what do you do?” into “What personal projects are you working on that excite you?”
   • “How is your family doing?” into “Looking forward to any vacations soon?”