Small talk is a cornerstone of building rapport, which is important in business and personal scenarios. Rapport refers to the natural positive relationship that forms between people in an office, sales, or other situation where they have to talk with someone they don't know very well. Building rapport in each transaction is foundational for better relationships, whether they be short term (for example, the length of the show) or over the span of a lifetime.

In spite of the discomfort you may feel, there's no denying that relationships matter both personally and professionally. So see if you can think of small talk not as a painful duty, but as a way to lay a firm groundwork from which you can direct the conversation toward your products and services. You don't need to be witty or profound. In fact, it might begin with a simple greeting or a question about how the visitor is doing, what they like about your booth, or how much they may know about your company. Given a little time, you may find small talk is a quick way to connect on a human level and an investment with a significant payoff. E