The art of being a great conversationalist has a lot more to do with listening than speaking. Remember, you already know about yourself, so talking about you will seldom gain you anything. The secret to being a fantastic conversationalist is to remember: “It's not about what you say, but how many times you can say 'uh-huh' and 'oh, really?'” Now, that may sound silly, but it really makes a lot of sense. If you can get them talking and keep them talking, you will be noted as the great conversationalist even though you will have said very little. So, saying, “uh-huh” and “oh, really,” will keep that conversation moving along. I heard it once said: "To be a great conversationalist, listen twice as much as you speak, and then you'll be heard twice as much as you listen." I really like that quote.