Don’t Praise and Retreat
As nice as it is to randomly get singled out of the crowd and hear someone say “I love your jacket” in passing, this retreat and run can sometimes be discombobulating for the person on the receiving end. If you have the time and want to strike up conversation, you can add a question.
The reason why asking a question after the compliment works is because you physically have to stay where you are and listen for the response. Slowing down in a busy world where most people arbitrarily throw out “Hey, what’s up?” without listening means a lot to people.
Here are some examples:
• “I love that shirt! Where did you get it?”
• “Your hair color is amazing! Did you get it dyed?”
• “Wow, I really like your tattoo. Who was the artist?”
• “Hey, man, who did the detailing on your car? It’s awesome.”
• “Who taught you how to sing like that? You sound great.”
