Image credit: Lars Plougmann | Flickr

Two of the top concerns I hear from new BNI members are “How do I get up and talk about myself in front of others without seeming foolish?” and “How do I get others to build trust in me if I am terrible at one-to-one conversation?” (These were both way high on my list, too, back in the day.) It’s safe to say that being in BNI for any length of time will, in itself, help you overcome both of these concerns — you do something often enough and it will become easier and easier. It’s getting started that presents the difficulty.

This article from Entrepreneur.com, titled “Here’s How to Strike Up a Conversation With Almost Anyone”, does a terrific job in outlining some of the best, and most basic, tips for helping you start down that road of conversational comfort. Such a great job, in fact, that you might swear it was written by a BNI member (and it very well could have been). Give it a quick read, then start practicing these tips, even just one or two — you’ll see (and hear) a difference in no time!