I used to have a bad problem with this. I didn't have the confidence to hold a conversation with a stranger (man or woman) without maintaining eye contact AND keeping the conversation flowing smoothly. I made big strides after I used conscious effort to make eye contact with people I spoke to, regardless of whom. Friends, family, co-workers, chick behind the counter at Burger King, dude bagging my groceries at Costco, etc. Once you get comfortable with eye contact, holding conversation is easy.
Couple other things that might help: Take a communication class at your local community college. Those help with conversational skills a LOT. Improv comedy classes are helpful too. I've taken both and they've been amazing for me. I'm a chatterbox IRL and can pretty much converse with anyone, all walks of life, HB7+s included.