How to turn around an awkward conversation

I'm in a bar on a Thursday night waiting to get served by a red-headed goth waitress with a nose ring and star tattoos adorning her exposed gut when i meet 'Dave'....

Dave: Hi.

Zoe: Hi.

Dave: I'm Dave.

Zoe: Nice to meet you Dave, I'm Zoe.

Dave: Cool.

Zoe: Yep.

Dave: Do you come here often?

Zoe: Yes.

Dave: Cool.
Zoe: Yep.

Dave: Do you like me yet?

Zoe: Excuse me?

Dave: I want you to like me....

Zoe: Um....

Dave: I see you're with a large group of friends.
Zoe: How very perceptive of you....

Dave: Will you say nice things about me to your friends?

Zoe: See ya Dave....

We've all been there.

It's horrible to be stuck in a conversation that is going in the wrong direction.

An incorrect flirtation, awkward silence or simply nothing to say can signal danger ahead and in most scenarios you'll make an excuse and walk away never to speak to them again and only remember them as the passing freak in the night....

But it doesn't have to be that way.

...Meet 'Matt'

Matt: Hi.
Zoe: Hi.
Matt: I'm Matt.
Zoe: Nice to meet you Matt, I'm Zoe.
Matt: So what do you do?

Zoe: I work for an advertising agency, what do you do?
Matt: I work in the ad industry too, how bizarre! So what brings you here tonight?

Zoe: Just hanging out with my friends and having a few drinks...
Matt: Cool. Can i buy you a drink?
Zoe: Yeah that would be great, thanks.
Matt: So what kind of advertising do you do?
Zoe: Digital basically...

Matt: I don't suppose you're on Twitter?
Zoe: Yes i am....you?
Matt: Me too! I'll have to follow you...So what do you think about Twitter?

And so the conversation moves to a mutually happy place where they both feel involved and comfortable....(i.e. not awkward)

Now flip this situation from a Thursday night in a bar between two people to an online environment between a brand and a consumer.

Big ask i know :-) but try to imagine it becauase it really is that simple.

Social media, social networks and socialising online is the buzz of the moment and clients are desperate to jump on board and be part of trend...

So desperate in fact, that they go running up to these consumers and try to start conversations which invariably turn out to be painfully awkward because of an incorrect flirtation, awkward silence or simply nothing to say.

The consumer then runs away, never to speak to you again and they will forever remember you as the 'passing freak in the night'...

But if you're interesting, entertaining and have something to say (like Matt) then you could start a beautiful, mutually beneficial friendship.

All you need to do is think of your consumers as people, not consumers....have human conversations, entertain them, compliment them, involve them, be interesting, have a topic of conversation, laugh together and have fun with it...!

As a wise man once said "you're only as a good as your last piece of content"....or your last conversation topic/content.

Be a 'Matt' not a 'Dave'.

(* Conversations with Dave and Matt were based on real life scenarios but names were changed!)