It's a common occurrence, someone approaches you and tries to start small talk about a subject you are unfamiliar with but you can't afford to seem ignorant in front of this certain someone. Of course there is no substitute for knowledge, but using these tips you can appear confident and knowledgeable through the first conversation buying yourself just enough time to go home, panic, and research about the subject you just pretended to know before your next encounter.
Be confident but don't speak loudly
The adage about speaking loudly to give the impression you know what you are talking about? False, however there are tips to stay confident even when you are scared out of your mind. Eye contact is important. If you try to avoid him/her in the beginning of the conversation you are giving off a negative air, make eye contact and just try to soothe your nerves. Do not over-nod or agree. If you keep nodding and replying “Yes” then you will appear much too passive. The speaker will think s/he is losing your attention and in an attempt to get you to speak will likely ask a direct and specific question, one that you are not prepared to answer.
Avoid direct questions gracefully
It's inevitable that during the talk you will face a direct and specific question. Play this off gracefully when confronted with a tough question that you don't know. Your answer, preferably, should be two parts. The first part denying that you know what s/he is asking should be kept short while the second part that you'll do your very best to make sure you find out needs to be accented. E.g. “I'm not too sure but I'll definitely check on that, it sounds interesting.” or “No, I'm not familiar with it but I think I read a headline about it a while back.” Try not to use the trite, “I don't remember” because when you start it's difficult to stop a cycle of “I don't remember”, which will only serve to make you look clueless.
Mix in specifics in the conversation
If you do know a little about what you are talking about do not be vague about it. Work in some specific knowledge you have into the conversation but do not overstress the points. Focusing on specific points may make the other person believe your field of knowledge is narrow. In addition, overstressing limited specific points may result in redundancies, something you do not want. Also, stressing specifics may result in in-depth questions that you do not have the answer to.
Encourage the other person to tell you what you need to know
The person you are speaking to might be anywhere from an expert in the field to someone who dabbles in the subject as a hobby. Inconspicuously seek out which side of the spectrum they are on and act accordingly. If it is an expert, a quick question regarding what s/he does, what s/he is currently working on, and why s/he does it will burn many precious minutes. On the other hand, if the person is only slightly more knowledgeable than you, simply ask about what's the latest thing they've discovered and what they're team / group / company currently works on. Remember, people love talking about themselves and their work. Be aware that once you ask a question it is likely you will also receive one; so make sure that the questions you ask will net you all the information you need to successfully tackle those questions or else avoid them without looking incompetent.
Lie correctly and keep track of them
If you lie, it sets you up to look really dumb if the lie is exposed. It is much better to say “I'm not sure, I'll check up on that” than to make something up and hope it's correct. However, when done correctly, the truth can never be exposed. If you are going to lie, make sure it's on a temporary subject that is difficult to check. Everything with an expire date is excellent, such as a transitional period between projects or on a temporary leave of absence for vacation time. Because of the expiration dates, you can always end any lie when it suits you. Use the small lies to mitigate damage from absence of knowledge but don't rely on them throughout a conversation. Furthermore, always always always keep track of which lies you've told. Lying could shake your confidence but keeping a tight leash on them will make you more self-assured. And always remember, if you do not think you can pull off a smart lie then it is better not to lie at all.
Know when to bow out
We all have premonitions about something bad that is about to happen. If you feel something that may burst your bubble is arriving soon, quickly but calmly think up of an emergency that you must take care of. An important action to take after leaving is to always follow up. Make sure the speaker knows that you would love to speak with him/her again about whichever subject but unfortunately you must leave. Make another appointment if you must, but if you do, make sure you are prepared for it.
