What to Talk About on the Phone

The art of figuring out what to talk about on the phone can be quite challenging. In most cases, starting the conversation is the difficult part, and once you have that out of the way, things often flow. However, sometimes you might find yourself tongue-tied and in awkward silence. At that moment, it feels like you have a brain freeze.

Tackling phone conversations should not be such a tricky thing. This guide will help you with some basic yet effective ways to engage in meaningful conversations on the phone. Different tips work well for different scenarios, so keep in mind the relationship you have with the person on the other end of the line.

Personal Conversations.

These are ideal when you talk to someone you already or intend on having a close relationship with. They are a great way to get to know someone at a personal level.

Talk About Hobbies and Personal Interests.

These are always interesting to share. You could talk about hobbies you currently enjoy, or you have engaged in before and have lost interest over time. You will likely find yourself talking about how you started enjoying your favorite personal hobbies or why you stopped engaging in certain hobbies.

If it turns out that the two of you have a similar hobby, then great! You can start talking about your different experiences around the hobby and if it’s something like reading or traveling. You can get to discussing the same books you have both read or places you have both visited. You might find yourselves giving each other suggestions on how to get the most out of your hobby.

Should the two of you have different hobbies, that will be a perfect opportunity to understand how and why some people enjoy certain hobbies you do not particularly find exhilarating.

Talk About Future Plans

Talking about your future plans is not only intriguing to the person you are talking to, but it is also an excellent way for you to voice out your plans and evaluate them. These could be social or career plans, long-term or short-term, whatever you are most comfortable with. As you talk about such plans, you will see how realistic and achievable your plans are.

As the other person also engages with their future plans, it will likely broaden your horizons about the future. You could also learn that the two of you are planning on a future that can be intertwined or you are in a position to help the other person achieve their future plans.

Talk About Memorable Life Experiences.

This is yet another great thing to talk about on the phone. These could be good, embarrassing, sad, or bad memories. Remember to pay attention to the mood of the conversation before you choose which memories to talk about.

This will allow you to go back to some memories which you might have a chuckle about. In some cases, you will realize how significant past experiences have been in your life.

Try to talk about these in an engaging manner that will allow the other person to also contribute to the conversation so that you do not speak at them; instead, you want to speak with them.

Talk About Social Views

One way of effectively getting to know someone and learning a thing or two is to talk about social views. We live in such a diverse era where it is highly unlikely to meet someone who has precisely the same social views as you. Bringing these into the conversation will allow you to reflect on your views and allow you to view the world from a different lens.

There is a wide variety of social views you can talk about, ranging from political to social and religious. You will likely be intrigued by how the person on the other end of the line views the world. We are currently in pride month, so having a conversation around Pride month will be a great start.

However, it is important to note that due to the many different and, in some cases opposing social views, in some cases, conversations around these topics can get heated and tense. When having such conversations bear in mind that the goal is to interact and learn a thing or two from the other person, not to try and change their world views.

If one person gets into the conversations with the intention of changing the other person, there is a high chance that that conversation will not go well, so remember to be civil about these conversations.

General Conversations

These work well when you are not particularly close with the other party, or you are just not in the mood for a personal conversation.

Talk About the Weather

When you are not particularly close to someone, talking about the weather is always a good icebreaker. You can ask them about the weather at their current location if you’re not around the same area.

There is also a possibility of talking about your favorite seasons or weather or describing your ideal weather. Often you will find that you might end up talking about things or food you associate with particular weather conditions.

Talk About Movies and Music

Talking about movies and music is another beautiful way to keep the conversation going. Most people have been spending a lot of time indoors and behind their tv screens, so you will likely have a lot to talk about here. You can discuss movies and music that you found to be surprisingly good or terrible. This will also be the perfect opportunity to recommend movies to each other.

If you have the same taste in movies and music, then you can discuss those. You might find that in some cases, you both like the same movies or music for different reasons. Some movies have endings that are open to interpretation, so it will be interesting to hear how the other person interprets the movie.

There is something satisfying about hearing new music. Talking about music will create a chance for the two of you to share music or playlists. You might end up coming across your latest favorite song.

Talk About the Celebrity Scene

There is always something happening in the celebrity world. In some cases, something shocking. It could be someone who is being canceled, someone who just got married, or some couple thinking about getting a divorce or some fancy awards.

If both of you enjoy or follow the same content. It will be great to catch up and talk about what is happening. You will likely find that the two of you are well aware of what is happening in the lives of two different celebrities. It will be great to share and get to know what is happening around. Through having this conversation, you will learn about various other famous figures that you might find fascinating.

Talk About Food and Wine

There is a wide variety of wines, including chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Shiraz. In turn, there is plenty to talk about regarding wines, especially as they are very different and suitable for different purposes. You will be able to discuss the different types of wine you enjoy and why you enjoy them.

You will be able to make recommendations of which wines to try and which ones not to try. You will maybe find yourselves planning on going to a wine tasting event.

For most people, talking about food is always a pleasure. There are various dishes, some of which are interesting and unique to particular cultures. It is always fun to hear about the strange recipes that people try, and, in some cases, those turn out well, while in others, they just turn out terrible. You will have a good time sharing recipes and exchanging kitchen tips.

If possible, you might end up discovering some good restaurants that might be worth a visit.

Food and culture are often intertwined, so as you talk about different cuisines, you will likely end up talking about the various cultures where they originated from or how the same cuisines are prepared differently in different contexts.

In some cases, food has cultural significance, so that will be an interesting conversation, especially if you have different cultural backgrounds.

Conclusion

As you engage in conversations on the phone, bear in mind that this article is loaded with tips; it is not a strict guideline for you to follow, so don’t be afraid to let the conversation flow. Remember to always listen, as the most important thing in communication is listening.

You will likely get the most out of a conversation if you listen when the other person talks.

Pro-tip: Avoid closed-ended questions as things often get awkward after those. Ask open-ended questions and let the other person tell you as much as they want regarding the topic. That is how good conversations on the phone are driven.