Good Conversation Starters - Simple Ice Breakers To Help Spark A Conversation
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Simple Ice Breakers To Help Spark A Conversation
Whether you're new to attending networking events or a social networker, you still need to have something to talk about when you meet someone.
By: Darlene Willman
Whether you're new to attending networking events or a social networker, you still need to have something to talk about when you meet someone.
By: Darlene Willman
Obviously, you'll share who you are and what you do but the goal is to get them talking about themselves. Everyone loves talking about themselves especially if someone shows genuine interest.
If you want to make a great impression, you should be fully engaged in the moment and listening closely. You can learn a lot about a person by what they are interested in. The other thing you're searching for is something to relate to them with to share stories.
There are a few topics you should avoid, especially during that first time of meeting someone. Avoid asking questions that relate to politics, religion and financial views. Anything that generates strong opinions and seems like a power struggle would not be a wise choice. You should also avoid asking them any qualifying questions like you're trying to determine if you can sell them something. This is not the time to go into a sales pitch; you're just getting to know them. That's it.
Again, the focus is on them NOT you. What makes them tick? What are their hobbies? Why are they in their particular profession? Here's a great question to ask..."What keeps you in that industry?" Offer sincere compliments if the opportunity presents itself. Example: You must be very talented or dedicated if you have been doing it for so long!
Develop open ended questions that require an explanation, more than just a yes or no response. Keep this fun. Don't make it like an interrogation where it crosses the line with real personal questions. Here in St. Louis the big question is "Where'd you go to high school?" Since I'm not from here, I didn't understand why someone would want to know that. Later, I discovered it was a way to check on your "STATUS" so you could fail right off the bat if you said the wrong school! Here's an acronym you can use to remember some questions to ask. It's called F.O.R.M. and will come in handy when you run out of basic questions to ask.
F - Family. Everyone enjoys talking about their kids especially their accomplishments. Maybe they play sports or are artists or are becoming teenagers or graduating college, etc.
O - Occupation. This one is self explanatory but validate them more and recognize them by saying, "That must take constant certification or you must love numbers". Another question you might ask is, "What are your future plans for expanding your business?" If you want, ask what their biggest challenge is and see if you have a connection you can introduce them to.
My favorite question is "What makes a good referral for you?" This will instantly mark you as a connector and someone they should get to know better.
R - Recreation. This is my favorite. Most people never take the time to ask about the fun things people do in their spare time. Ask them this question..."When you're not doing __________, what do you do fun?" If you discover they have a hobby or collect certain things, keep a mental note of that and try to send them articles or other information about it. If there's a sale or tradeshow going on that relates to their hobby, make sure to reconnect with them and let them know.
M - Motivation. OK, so maybe you thought this was for Money? If you're with financial folks, this might be OK but in today's new economy it can be a touchy subject. Instead, ask them what keeps them motivated? What gets them out of bed each day? This question will make them stop and think about their answer. It should make for a memorable moment and be honored that you even asked them.
Don't forget to always ask for their business card so you can reconnect with them at a later date. Make sure you take a minute and actually look at it, make a comment about their card if possible before putting it in your pocket or write a note on the back. This shows the other person you are interested in who they are and you're not like all the rest they'll meet there!
If you want to make a great impression, you should be fully engaged in the moment and listening closely. You can learn a lot about a person by what they are interested in. The other thing you're searching for is something to relate to them with to share stories.
There are a few topics you should avoid, especially during that first time of meeting someone. Avoid asking questions that relate to politics, religion and financial views. Anything that generates strong opinions and seems like a power struggle would not be a wise choice. You should also avoid asking them any qualifying questions like you're trying to determine if you can sell them something. This is not the time to go into a sales pitch; you're just getting to know them. That's it.
Again, the focus is on them NOT you. What makes them tick? What are their hobbies? Why are they in their particular profession? Here's a great question to ask..."What keeps you in that industry?" Offer sincere compliments if the opportunity presents itself. Example: You must be very talented or dedicated if you have been doing it for so long!
Develop open ended questions that require an explanation, more than just a yes or no response. Keep this fun. Don't make it like an interrogation where it crosses the line with real personal questions. Here in St. Louis the big question is "Where'd you go to high school?" Since I'm not from here, I didn't understand why someone would want to know that. Later, I discovered it was a way to check on your "STATUS" so you could fail right off the bat if you said the wrong school! Here's an acronym you can use to remember some questions to ask. It's called F.O.R.M. and will come in handy when you run out of basic questions to ask.
F - Family. Everyone enjoys talking about their kids especially their accomplishments. Maybe they play sports or are artists or are becoming teenagers or graduating college, etc.
O - Occupation. This one is self explanatory but validate them more and recognize them by saying, "That must take constant certification or you must love numbers". Another question you might ask is, "What are your future plans for expanding your business?" If you want, ask what their biggest challenge is and see if you have a connection you can introduce them to.
My favorite question is "What makes a good referral for you?" This will instantly mark you as a connector and someone they should get to know better.
R - Recreation. This is my favorite. Most people never take the time to ask about the fun things people do in their spare time. Ask them this question..."When you're not doing __________, what do you do fun?" If you discover they have a hobby or collect certain things, keep a mental note of that and try to send them articles or other information about it. If there's a sale or tradeshow going on that relates to their hobby, make sure to reconnect with them and let them know.
M - Motivation. OK, so maybe you thought this was for Money? If you're with financial folks, this might be OK but in today's new economy it can be a touchy subject. Instead, ask them what keeps them motivated? What gets them out of bed each day? This question will make them stop and think about their answer. It should make for a memorable moment and be honored that you even asked them.
Don't forget to always ask for their business card so you can reconnect with them at a later date. Make sure you take a minute and actually look at it, make a comment about their card if possible before putting it in your pocket or write a note on the back. This shows the other person you are interested in who they are and you're not like all the rest they'll meet there!
Darlene Willman, aka The Sassy Networker, is a keynote speaker author and coach, specializing in small business networking and referrals. She provides resources, connections and support to entrepreneurs, small business owners and other professionals that have a strong desire to promote their companies through relationship marketing. She will show you how to build an incredible network of people who refer business to each other plus so much more. You can start receiving her eZine, The Networking Focus by visiting www.SassyNetworker.com
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