Conversation Starters- How To Break The Ice At Any Social Situation
Remember the last time you were at a networking event and there was this awkward silence in the room? Believe it or not, many people lack the skills to start a conversation with a stranger in the very same room as them! Even if the conversation has been started, they also lack the skills to keep the conversation flowing and engaging.
In this article, I'm going to share with you some tips to break the ice when meeting a stranger for the very first time. Enjoy!
Tip 1: Notice something unusual about them and ask questions about it.
This is almost a sure-fire way to break the ice and get a conversation going. However, you must ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS! Do not ask closed questions. For example,
You: Wow that is a unique bracelet! Where did you buy it?
Target: Oh, I bought it in Germany.
This is a poor question as it does not allow any room for the conversation to flow. The target can simply reply with a one word answer and awkward silence will naturally follow. Instead, ask questions like:
You: Wow that is a unique bracelet! What interested you about it to buy it?
Target: Oh, I like the floral patterns. It kinda reminds me of my youth days where I loved gardening.
Now you know that the target used to like gardening, continue asking him or her things about gardening. What he or she liked about it, why did he or she stop, etc you get the drift.
Tip 2: Always wear or carry anything unusual on you
This is another way of breaking the ice and getting the conversation going. Wearing something unusual draws the attention of other people and induces them to approach you to ask "What is that?" I used to have this heart shaped handkerchief in my vest pocket whenever I attended networking sessions and every time without fail, I would have people coming up to me to ask about it and I would explain how my grandmother made this special handkerchief for me when I was young and the sentimental value I attached to it. This, of course, paved the way for further discussions on love, grandparents, family ties in modern society and so on.
So the next time you attend a gathering, wear, carry or notice something unusual to have an excuse to begin a conversation. Once in the conversation, ask good questions to keep the conversation going. Make sure your unusual object is clearly visible for all to see and hone your skills in scrutinizing the apparel of those you wish to approach.
In this article, I'm going to share with you some tips to break the ice when meeting a stranger for the very first time. Enjoy!
Tip 1: Notice something unusual about them and ask questions about it.
This is almost a sure-fire way to break the ice and get a conversation going. However, you must ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS! Do not ask closed questions. For example,
You: Wow that is a unique bracelet! Where did you buy it?
Target: Oh, I bought it in Germany.
This is a poor question as it does not allow any room for the conversation to flow. The target can simply reply with a one word answer and awkward silence will naturally follow. Instead, ask questions like:
You: Wow that is a unique bracelet! What interested you about it to buy it?
Target: Oh, I like the floral patterns. It kinda reminds me of my youth days where I loved gardening.
Now you know that the target used to like gardening, continue asking him or her things about gardening. What he or she liked about it, why did he or she stop, etc you get the drift.
Tip 2: Always wear or carry anything unusual on you
This is another way of breaking the ice and getting the conversation going. Wearing something unusual draws the attention of other people and induces them to approach you to ask "What is that?" I used to have this heart shaped handkerchief in my vest pocket whenever I attended networking sessions and every time without fail, I would have people coming up to me to ask about it and I would explain how my grandmother made this special handkerchief for me when I was young and the sentimental value I attached to it. This, of course, paved the way for further discussions on love, grandparents, family ties in modern society and so on.
So the next time you attend a gathering, wear, carry or notice something unusual to have an excuse to begin a conversation. Once in the conversation, ask good questions to keep the conversation going. Make sure your unusual object is clearly visible for all to see and hone your skills in scrutinizing the apparel of those you wish to approach.
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