Small Talk, Big Results: Chit Chat Your Way to Success! [Paperback]

Diane Windingland (Author), LeAnn H. Gerst (Editor), Kimberly Martin (Cover Design)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2010

This book shows you exactly what one has to say to be more popular, persuasive and confident in any social situation.
 ~Brian Tracy--Author--The Power of Charm

If you've ever been guilty of avoiding networking or attending any kind of event with the rationalization that you can't stand making small talk, you need to read this book!  Page after page, Diane Windingland shatters the misconception that small talk is a negative thing and clearly explains how to use it in the right ways so it becomes a powerful tool capable of opening doors you never imagined possible.
~Ivan Misner, NY Times Bestselling author and Founder of BNI and Referral Institute

Your success in business first depends on your ability to attract more prospects. This book provides a path and a plan for getting the ear of not just more prospects, but the right prospects.
~Mark LeBlanc--Author--Growing Your Business and Never be the Same

Diane is on target! Small talk is a big way to personally engage with your customers.
~Dan Day--Author--Brandtender Marketing

This book gives you what you need to make meaningful connections right from the start! Diane teaches it well, AND lives it authentically.
 ~Gaye Lindfors-Author-Find a Job: The Little Book for Big Success!

In this easy-to-read book, you will learn simple tips and techniques to:

• Captivate conversation partners
• Encourage people to open up to you
• Navigate networking events
• Remember names
• Make sales by making friends
• Turn small talk into BIG BUCKS!

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Small talk isn't rocket science! 
It is a learned skill that can be greatly improved with practice.  And, like many skills, the better you get at it, the more fun it is and the more fun it is, the better you get at it.  Got that?

It is my hope that by reading and re-reading this short book from time to time that you will increase your ability to chit chat your way to success!

I have tried to write a book that is interesting, practical and concise.  I didn't want to write one of those books that have a lot of "fluff" just to make the book seem more "important."  I'm pretty sure most people could read the whole book in an hour, but will want to review it from time to time, or target in on specific skills.

About the Author

Diane Windingland, founder of Small Talk, Big Results!, speaks for organizations that want to help their people have better conversations and ones that matter most. www.smalltalkbigresults.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 76 pages
• Publisher: Small Talk Big Results (October 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0983007802
• ISBN-13: 978-0983007807
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Business Owner. Speaker. Author. Speech Coach. Youth Speech Instructor. Engineer. Salesperson. Wife. Mom. Daughter. Friend. Home Educator. Karate Instructor.

In Diane's many roles in business and other aspects of life, there has been one constant: communication. She has found that the most meaningful, and often the most difficult, communication has been face-to-face conversation.

A resident of Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes and 10 billion mosquitoes, Diane lives with her husband, Kim, and youngest son in the Twin Cities area.

Please connect with Diane and share your small talk success stories!
Diane's website: www.smalltalkbigresults.com

A little bit about Diane's philosophy of "small talk:"

Imagine a world where people feel accepted, valued and understood and everyone is approachable and open to making small talk that leads to closer relationships and more significant results (more commitment, more collaboration, more sales, and less hate, less prejudice, etc.).

This perfect world is based on the beliefs that all human beings are unique and have and give value. Face-to-face interactions are important and can not be completely replaced by technology-enabled communication. Small talk is not just a means to an end; it is a way to make people feel accepted and free to connect without judgment.

Here's a story from Diane's book, Small Talk Big Results: Chit Chat Your Way to Success, which illustrates one method of "connecting without judgment:"

I learned a great concept in an improv class: "Yes, and . . ." The idea is to not negate a suggestion or person, to not block them or their ideas, but to accept and move forward. A "Yes, but . . ." response may sound like you are agreeing, but the "but" negates the "yes."

Shortly after I learned about the "Yes, and . . ." concept, I ran into a woman visiting my church for the first time. I asked her what brought her to the church and she said she wanted to get her kids into religious training. She said, "It doesn't matter what religion. They're all the same, right?" Well, the old me would have said, "WHAT?? ARE YOU CRAZY? RELIGIONS AREN'T ALL THE SAME!" That would have blown her out of the church! Thankfully, I took a breath, nodded, and said, "Yes, many religions have similar philosophies, such as the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." We then had a pleasant and engaging conversation, and I kept the door open for dialog.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Open Your Mouth, Don't Insert Foot November 17, 2010

By M. Webb

Format:Paperback

"I used to hate small talk. To me, it was nothing more than blah, blah, blah...I thought it was a waste of time. And, I wasn't very good at it."

Anyone who thinks the opening line of Small Talk, Big Results! describes them, raise your hand. You can't see it but I'm sitting here waving my hand in the air! In theory, I knew about networking. I had the business cards, the firm handshake, and the sparkling smile. I just didn't know how to get people to talk about more than where the bathroom was or how nice the weather had been. So Small Talk, Big Results! is the book I'd been waiting for all my life.

Two words say it all: small talk. This book not only tells you why small talk is important but it gives you some concrete lessons: what to say, how to say it, some examples of what NOT to say directly from conversations Windingland eavesdropped on, how to get yourself out of trouble when you say something stupid. Introductions, memory tricks, business cards, body language, international rules--it's all there.

This book is divided into short chapters each focusing on a necessary skill. Windingland has filled the book with funny, personal stories and easy tricks that make this a quick read that you actually remember after you've closed the book. She takes a big idea like "make a personal connection" and breaks it down into practical steps. She also brings up things you may never have thought about before such as body language. I'm giving this book to my college aged daughter and think everyone high school aged and older should read it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Small Talk Great Results December 10, 2010

By areviewandgiveaway

Format:Paperback

Wow there is so much information packed into this book! Diane starts out the book by explaining why she thought small talk was a waste of time. She was a new engineering graduate in the 1980's in a new engineering job and married to an engineer! She was surrounded by people who didn't know how to network or how to small talk. Over the years she learned several tips and tricks and has compiled this all in this fun easy to read book.

There are acronyms for helping you and chapters like Be NOSE-y! and I'm Sorry...What was your name again? Have you ever forgotten someone's name? You won't after reading that chapter.

My favorite chapter is "It's all in the cards - Getting and using other people's business cards". I wish I had read this chapter before I attended the Casual Bloggers Conference last May. I went all by myself (A big, no a HUGE step for me!) and didn't know anyone. Thankfully I met some very nice people and made a lot of contacts. The only problem was I had no system for all the business cards I received. I still have a stack of cards that I can't remember anything about the person who gave them to me. If I had read this chapter before I went I could have used it to my blogging advantage.

Small Talk Big Results is a great book for anyone who has interaction with another human being. It's not just for people in the work force. There are very valuable tips especially if you blog. Maybe you are on Twitter and Facebook those are great places for small talk too.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Short, simple, and a bit trite February 5, 2011

By Scott Huizenga

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Sometimes if one has nothing nice to say, perhaps one should say nothing at all. So, I will start with the nice things. This book provides some nice tips for starting and keeping a conversation rolling and how to tell a story. Windingland explains how to use conflict and how to limit unnecessary background to keep a story compelling. Empathy and asking open-ended questions can keep a conversation fresh. And, Windingland also provides some handy acronyms for networking. But, good luck remembering them when you are in the game.

Most of the advice, however, was mundane, incorrect, or outright painful. For example, "So what's the big secret to getting other people's business cards? ASK!" Gee, thanks. I think even the most introverted among us can get that far. And, sorry pop-psychology fans, but folding one's arms is not inherently a sign of defensiveness or indifference. Some people just like to fold their arms. Finally, her advice to use the "name game" at networking events is just shy of outlandish. Can one imagine walking into a business mixer, grabbing 10-20 random people, and sitting them down so that you can play the name game to memorize their names? Good luck with that.

The book's quick read is the main saving grace. One should be able to remember a few quick tips before a networking event by browsing the book without trying too hard. The book may work well in conjunction with Windingland's speaking events. It seems trite and a bit shallow as a standalone effort. I had high hopes, but it left me wanting much more.