I've not read all the comments yet (nor TFA) but my spouse works in Tinseltown — where major deals might be enabled by mixing at social functions — and her guid

I've not read all the comments yet (nor TFA) but my spouse works in Tinseltown — where major deals might be enabled by mixing at social functions — and her guiding tenet is "The 50/50 Rule," which is basically what it sounds like: 'Aim for the ratio of your conversation time (or word count) to be equal to that of your fellow conversationalist.' Meet someone who has an interesting career / hobby / culture, but they only speak in single sentences? Game on, then, for you to draw more out of them! Likewise, a dullard with no original ideas or fun topics to draw on? — hey, it's up to you to find a way to make them hold up their half (without their knowing, obvi). It took me some time to adapt and get the hang of it, but I must admit that it's made my abilities in the casual or friendly (e.g., "annual friends") social settings much stronger. You'll also find that people will remember you as being fun to chat with and they'll be more likely to catch up with you intentionally when or if you again cross paths. Highly recommended.