Perhaps you’ve heard of the ultimatum game. Two participants get an amount of money and one gets to split it while the other has to choose whether or not to take the split. If the individual deciding whether to accept the offer declines, neither wins. 

This sounds fun, but what does this have to do with the power of small talk when selling? Research by Al Roth shows that letting the subjects talk before the game has dramatic effects on outcomes. 83% more offers are fair, and only 5% get rejected. In other words, casual conversation goes a long way!