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Small Talk in English - How to start a conversation in business situations

Terms in this set (16)

I don't think we've met. I'm ...
A basic, polite phrase to introduce yourself. It gives others the opportunity to introduce themselves, as well.
How are you?
A polite question asking about someone's well-being. Appropriate for business and casual situations.
Where are you from?
A polite question that asks where someone was born or where they grew up.
How long have you lived in...?
A polite question about how long someone has lived in a particular city, region or country.
How was your trip?
A polite question asking if someone arrived well. You can use this question if the person is a traveler.
How was the flight over?
A polite question asking if someone arrived well. You can use this question if the person is a traveler.
Is this your first visit to... ?
This is a closed question. Usually, the other person will give more information than simply "yes" or "no." If not, you can easily ask follow-up questions.
How long are you staying in...?
This question asks how long someone will be staying in a particular city, region or country. It's used if the person is a traveler.
Which workshop can you recommend?
You can often start interesting conversations at conferences by asking questions about the program and someone's opinion.
Did you go to the presentation about ... (topic)? What did you think?
You can often start interesting conversations at conferences by asking questions about the program and someone's opinion.
What do you do?
A general, polite question asking what someone does for work. It's appropriate for business situations and casual conversations.
What does your business do?
A polite question asking about the product or service someone's business provides.
What's your role in the business?
A polite question about which position someone has in a company.
What's your role at...(company name)?
A polite question about which position someone has in a company.
How long have you been in the (marketing) business?
A polite question asking about how long someone has worked in their current job. It's more relevant to business situations.
How's business in your industry/sector?
This is a general question used in business situations.
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