What to Say After “Hi” When You Meet Someone New

The Moment After the Moment

You finally did it. You said hi.
The hardest part should be over, but now you’re standing there watching your confidence fade like the last bar on your phone battery.

I’ve been there. In fact, that moment is what this entire episode came from. I had finally introduced myself, and suddenly everything I’d planned went blank.

“I kind of took that as a moment to be like, alright, I feel like the conversation’s losing steam.”

That feeling is brutal. The silence gets louder. You start mentally checking out of the moment, analyzing your tone, your body language, your timing. That’s where most people lose the conversation, not because they’re uninteresting, but because they’re too aware.

Stop Trying to Impress, Start Trying to Connect

When I first started paying attention to how I introduce myself, I realized I was trying too hard to say something impressive instead of something human. I was focused on getting it right instead of getting it real.

What people actually want is presence. Not a script. Not the perfect line. Just energy, curiosity, and rhythm.

If you lead with curiosity, it changes everything. Ask one question that feels natural. Listen to the answer. Build from there. You’re not performing. You’re connecting.

Confidence Doesn’t Sound Perfect

I used to think confidence meant smoothness, the ability to talk without hesitation. But that’s wrong. Confidence sounds like engagement. It’s being in it.

You can literally say, “I didn’t expect to run into you here,” or “This place is crazy, right?” and it works because it’s real. What matters isn’t what you say. It’s that you keep the ball moving.

“I just kept picking up the ball and dropping it and picking up the ball and dropping it and like again and again and again.”

That line from the episode still makes me laugh because it’s exactly what happens when you overthink. You start focusing on the ball instead of the game.

The truth is, conversation isn’t about perfect transitions. It’s about small pivots, little ways to show interest, to stay in it.

For more on how to actually start strong, read How to Introduce Myself Without Sounding Awkward. It breaks down the first five seconds that make everything easier.

The Best Thing You Can Say Next

Here’s the rule I live by:
Say something that either adds, asks, or anchors.

• Add: Build off what they said.

  “You mentioned you’re in design. What kind?”

• Ask: Keep the rhythm going.

  “Have you been here before?”

• Anchor: Bring it back to something in common.

  “I think I saw you at that event last month.”

You don’t need to reinvent conversation. You just need to stay present long enough for it to unfold.

When It Starts to Get Awkward Again

There’s always a moment where you can feel the silence sneaking back in. That’s fine. Don’t panic. That’s not failure. That’s the reset point.

“If I had a little bit more of a fallback or something really prepared, maybe that would have helped me.”

A simple fallback line works. Something light, something that restarts the rhythm. It can be as simple as:

• “Anyway, I’m Josh, by the way.”

• “I’m bad at this, but I had to say hi.”

• “I was just about to grab a drink. Want one?”

It’s not about smoothness. It’s about staying in motion.

The Real Confidence Move

Confidence doesn’t start with the first “hi.” It starts with staying after the awkward part.
Anyone can walk up. Very few people can stay present once they’re there.

That’s the muscle. That’s what I’m still practicing.

“It’s a skill that I am consistently working on and something that I think I will always be working on and learning going up to somebody in the art of introducing yourself.”

The art of the introduction isn’t about what you say. It’s about what you’re willing to feel. The discomfort, the pause, the silence. The more you can sit in that space without running from it, the more confident you’ll actually feel.

If You Remember One Thing

Don’t focus on being interesting. Focus on being interested.
People don’t remember perfect introductions. They remember energy that felt alive.

“I never really think it’s better to stay wondering. Like, I would always rather at least try and then build from there.”

If the conversation dies, it’s fine. You tried. You learned. You got reps in. And the next time, “hi” won’t feel like a cliff.

Read More in Confidence

If this post hit home, these are the ones to read next.

• How to Introduce Myself Without Sounding Awkward — the confidence foundation that started it all.

• How to Sound Confident Even If I’m Nervous — small shifts that change how people perceive you.

• The Art of the Introduction (Episode Hub) — hear the full story behind this post.

FAQ

What should I say after “hi” if I blank?
You can literally say what’s happening. “Sorry, I just totally blanked” works better than silence. It’s real, human, and resets the energy. People connect to honesty way more than they connect to smoothness.

How do I keep the conversation from dying?
Think in small moves. Add something, ask something, or anchor the moment. It’s not about being clever. It’s about keeping rhythm.

What if I feel like I’m boring?
You’re not. People remember energy, not lines. If you’re curious, you’re interesting. Most of the time, confidence isn’t about being loud. It’s about being present.

How do I sound confident if I’m nervous?
Slow down. Breathe before you speak. Focus on what they’re saying instead of what you’ll say next. Confidence isn’t the absence of nerves. It’s the ability to stay in the moment anyway.

Notes from Josh

The moment after “hi” used to terrify me. It still does sometimes. But every conversation, every awkward silence, every failed joke, it all builds the same muscle.
That’s what Guyset is about. Learning how to stay in it.

Want to hear the full episode?
Listen to The Art of the Introduction on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.