How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice!
It’s always good to have a few good conversation starters in your back pocket (or even a joke) when you’re attending a networking event. Breaking the ice with someone you don’t know can be a little intimidating at times, especially if you’re not quite sure how to get a conversation started. Instead of asking someone right off the bat what they do for a living, which I’m sure is a statement we’re all too familiar with answering, we’ve included a few tips to help you get the dialogue going at your next networking event.
Photo credit: Ben Seidman
Back to basics: Asking someone how they're doing or how they heard about the event
Although these questions are simple, it shows your interests and can spark further conversation about how their day went or if something interesting or out of the blue occurred. Asking about how they heard about the event may help you connect on a social sharing level. Making connections through these basic questions can go a long way and follow-up questions will come easier.
Compliment them
Are they "wearing" a conversation starter like an original piece of jewelry or cool specs? If so, let them know you noticed. Complimenting someone will not only show your attention to detail and hey, you might even receive a compliment back!
Act as if you’ve known the person
According to themuse.com, pretending like you have known the person you’re conversing with as an old friend can really help make you feel more comfortable. A change in perception can help with this. Remember, just about everyone there is a stranger to one another.
Include DYP in your convo
“Have you ever been to a DYP event or open house?” Discussing the event or asking if they’ve ever been to the location before is a great ice breaker. Since both members and non-members can attend events, asking if they’re an active member with DYP would be a great conversation starter as well. If they are and you are not, ask them how they like it, what the benefits are and how long they’ve been a member. If the opposite is true, you could always inform them on how DYP has benefited you, other events you’ve attended and so on.
Be sure to check out some of DYP’s upcoming events and open houses. The next open house will be held at 3Fifty Terrace (Music Hall Rooftop) on July 31, 2015 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. Register now!