10 Steps on How to Talk to a Participant at a Conference
1) Know your field (what's what, who's who etc)
2) Dressed appropriately3) Have tons of your business card in your pocket
4) Approach a solo target particularly during registration/person sitting next to you/coffee or tea break/in a lift
5) Greets him/her (hi/hello/good morning)
Small Chat
6) Ask where did he/she comes from
7) Give out any sort of exclamation (oh that's far - are you driving? or oh, where is that - is it far from here?)
8) Followed by anything-question (what time you went out from your house? how was the traffic flow)
9) Ask what's his/her interest in the conference
10) Politely present your card, and quickly run away because you're out of Steps
These were what I did few hours ago. Attended an international conference at a hotel, did exactly what the above instructed me to and turned out:
Person A, while having some refreshment after registration
Me: Hi...
PA: Hi...
Me: Where did you come from?
PA: MMU *smiling*
Me: Oh...*Forgetting the Steps*
PA: I was late, just checked in into the hotel just now
Me: Oh really? So any particular interest in this conference?
PA: I'm the paper presenter
Me: *WHAT THE...*
Person B, on our way to Parallel Session
Me: Hi
PB: Hi, I'm India, just got here from the airport
Me: Oh
PB: Well I'm Shamur and you are?
Me: I'm Me, from Malaysia.
PB: How do I go to KLCC from here? That's the thing crossed my mind when I think of KL
Me: Oh...I guess *blah3*...*suddenly* Which room are you interested in?
PB: *can't make up what he was saying*
Me: I'm interested in this theme *showing the programme booklet*
PB: Yeah? Blah3 *was excited for no reason*
Me: Let's sit over here
PB: I'm presenting tomorrow, in this session *pointing to a table on the programme book*
Me: *WHAT THE AGAIN?*
Person C, sitting next to me throughout opening ceremony
Me: Hi, you told me you're from Belgium
PC: Yes, well, I'm from Malaysia but doing PhD in Belgium
Me: Wow *wuwow*
PC: But have stayed in Belgium for awhile while working with Shell
Me: Are you an engineer or something?
PC: No, my background is in economics
Me: Oh...you're coming back just for this conference?
PC: I'm presenting a paper tomorrow and my mom's here too so...
Me: *WHY? WHY???*
Ah well, the Steps are good enough to guide you socially incapable lot. Yeah...you. Me.
