CHAT TIPS

Conversation tips, prompts & scripts

Chat Tips: filter conversation tips by situation, topic and intent.

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Three friends on an outdoor couch playing Good Chat conversation cards, one reading a question card aloud Group settingsCommunication basicsHow to host a gathering without the awkward bitsHosting anxiety is conversation anxiety with snacks. Solve the chat and the night runs itself: engineer one shared moment, seed a couple of questions,...Read article Woman in heart sunglasses playfully fanning cards at a bright party Group settingsConnection and intimacyHow to start a conversation at a party where you don’t know anyoneTo start a conversation at a party full of strangers, skip “so how do you know the host?” and react to the shared moment:...Read article Laughing woman with a watermelon cocktail holding up a Good Chat card at a white table Group settingsCommunication basicsWhat to ask when a group conversation starts to stallEvery gathering hits a lull around the 90-minute mark. That's not the night ending, it's the night asking for a better question. Have one...Read article Dates conversation deck and coffees on a beach picnic blanket with the ocean behind DatingConnection and intimacyHow to start a conversation on a first date without the “interview” vibeTo start a first date that actually feels like a connection, kill the “CV questions”. Instead of their job or hometown, lead with curiosity about their world. Try: “What’s a hill you’re willing to...Read article Two friends laughing on an outdoor couch sharing Good Chat Mates cards FriendshipsConnection and intimacyHow to go deeper with friends you’ve only ever had surface chats withTo move a friendship past banter, you have to go first. Trade one real thing, “honestly, this year’s been heavier than I let on”, and watch them meet you there. A single honest question...Read article Woman fanning Good Chat cards in one hand with an espresso martini in the other at a bright bar DatingConnection and intimacyWhat to ask on a third date once the basics are coveredBy date three the facts are done and the fun begins. Retire the biography questions and trade hypotheticals, formative stories and small confessions: "what's...Read article Woman laughing at a wooden table with Dates conversation cards in window light DatingCommunication basicsHow to handle first date silences without panickingA first date silence is not a fire alarm. Name it with a smile ("big moment for us, our first silence") or use it...Read article Overhead poolside shot with a hand holding an orange Teams card in bright sun FriendshipsConnection and intimacyHow to turn a work friend into a real-life friendWork friendships stall because they run on shared context, not shared choice. Make the jump explicit: invite them to something with no colleagues, no...Read article Three colleagues leaning in over Good Chat cards at a rooftop table Work and teamsCommunication basicsHow to start a conversation in a meeting that actually builds rapportTo build genuine rapport in a meeting, skip the weather talk. Instead of “How was your weekend?”, try “What’s one small win you had...Read article Hand fanning cream Good Chat cards against palm trees and bright blue sky Work and teamsCommunication basicsWhat to ask to keep a networking conversation flowingNobody remembers the person who asked what they do. Ask what they're excited about instead: "what are you working on that you actually can't...Read article Good Chat deck and cards beside latte art on a sunny cafe table Work and teamsCommunication basicsHow to start a conversation with a new boss that sets the toneSkip the resume recap and ask the question every manager loves: "what does great look like for you in the first few months?" You...Read article Good Chat Money deck propped on an EFTPOS terminal, cheeky money moment Work and teamsMoney conversationsHow to start the conversation about a raise or promotionAsking for a raise is a conversation, not a courtroom. Book it properly ("I'd like 20 minutes to talk about my role"), lead with...Read article Two colleagues in an honest conversation over coffee at a sunny cafe Work and teamsCommunication basicsHow to give a colleague hard feedback without the awkwardnessHard feedback works when care is obvious. Ask permission ("can I share something I've noticed?"), describe the behaviour not the person, and finish with...Read article Conversation card question held over a teal tiled bar table on date night DatingSex and relationshipsHow to talk about boundaries early in dating without killing the moodTo talk about boundaries early in dating without awkwardness, frame it as curiosity, not a contract. Try “I like figuring out what makes someone...Read article Two friends and a poodle playing with the Money conversation deck on a bright couch DatingMoney conversationsHow to talk about money before you move in togetherHave the money chat while it's exciting, not urgent. Frame it as building the life admin for your new home: "how do you want...Read article Money conversation card asking what financial independence means to you, beside a brunch plate FriendshipsMoney conversationsHow to start a conversation about a friend owing you moneyTo bring up money a friend owes you without awkwardness, lead with the “budget check”. A light text, “I’m balancing my budget and noticed...Read article Blue Mates card question held up over a bright pizza lunch table FriendshipsCommunication basicsHow to clear the air after a disagreement with a friendThe disagreement isn't what damages a friendship; the weeks of weird politeness afterwards are. Name it early and lightly: "hey, are we okay? That...Read article Overhead turquoise-tiled table with drinks and Good Chat cards mid-game Group settingsCommunication basicsHow to bring up taboo topics in a group without making it weirdThe trick to raising big topics in a group is a shared excuse. Frame it as a game, a question you read, or a...Read article All six Good Chat decks lined up on a table with friends toasting behind FamilyCommunication basicsHow to talk about taboo topics at the family dinner tableFamily dinners default to logistics and silence. Bring one real question to the table, aimed at a story rather than an opinion, and watch...Read article Smiling woman reading conversation cards with family on the couch at home FamilyGrief and deathHow to go deeper with parents about their life stories and legacyTo get your parents to open up, ask for stories, not summaries. Swap “how was your childhood?” for “what’s a time you got in...Read article Smiling woman with a black poodle holding up a Good Chat card in bright indoor light FamilyConnection and intimacyHow to start untangling long-standing family tensionOld family tension survives on autopilot. You don't fix ten years in one conversation; you change the script with one genuinely new question and...Read article Two women talking over the Money conversation deck at home in bright daylight FamilyMoney conversationsThe inheritance talk: how to talk about family wealth without it getting weirdTo talk about inheritance without it feeling grabby or morbid, anchor it in their wishes, not the assets. Try “I want to make sure...Read article Woman in sunglasses on a sunny daybed reading a Good Chat card FamilyGrief and deathHow to talk to ageing parents about the futureHave the future conversation while it's a cup-of-tea chat, not a hospital one. Lead with their wishes ("I want to make sure we'd get...Read article Yellow Good Chat Death deck conversation card held up in bright daylight over rooftop palms FriendshipsGrief and deathWhat to ask a grieving friend when you’re scared of saying the wrong thingWhen a friend is grieving you don’t need perfect words, you need presence. Skip “let me know if you need anything” and try “I’m...Read article Death deck and yellow Good Chat cards beside a bright cafe brunch plate DatingGrief and deathHow to talk about past loss with a new partnerYou don't owe anyone your grief on a schedule, but hiding it builds a wall around the realest part of you. Share it plainly,...Read article

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Mates Conversation Cards

Mates

For the friends that want to go beyond banter.You think you k...
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Dates Conversation Cards

Dates

For getting past small talk and into real connection.Need a n...
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Money Conversation Cards

Money

For unpacking beliefs, boundaries and goals.Everybody deals w...
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Sex Conversation Cards

Sex

For open, honest and sometimes spicy conversations about inti...
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Death Conversation Cards

Death

For grief, meaning and the stuff we usually avoid.Some see de...
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Teams Conversation Cards

Teams

For work conversations that won't land you in HR.You can spen...
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