195 Professional Networking Conversation Starters

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Professional networking conversation starters. I believe that starting a discussion with someone at a networking event might be difficult without coming off as weird. It might be nerve-wracking to approach a stranger, but it doesn’t have to be. What then are some safe and natural methods to break the ice?

A fascinating topic can be brought up to start a conversation that otherwise might be unpleasant and stiff. This article will give you some free tips and examples of professional networking conversation starters

Having a variety of conversation starters at your disposal can help you establish relationships with prospects, referrals, and possible business partners, which is crucial in sales. So, the ability to strike up a discussion turns into an actual business.

What makes a good topic for conversation? There isn’t a set formula, but you may modify your inquiries depending on the circumstance. You won’t utilize the same conversation openers with your pals as you would, say, your boss.

Types of questions

Relevant: If you can, strike up a discussion about something relevant or particular, such as your location, an upcoming occasion, your line of work, or your present hobbies. It will be simpler for the other individual to contribute.
Non-routine: Asking inquiries other than the usual ones like the weather and your job will shake the other person out of their conversational rut. Additionally, you’ll become more recognizable.
Professional: Some subjects are better discussed with close relatives and friends rather than total strangers. Never ask a question that will make your discussion partner uneasy.
Open-ended: As opposed to a limited, yes-or-no response, an open-ended inquiry often yields a far more interesting response.

Discussion Topics

Do you want to strike up a discussion, then? But what subject should you bring up? Following are some discussion starters.

Fun facts

Start a discussion by asking them about their job, their favorite local restaurants, and foods, or a recent discovery they made. For happy hours or networking gatherings, fun facts are perfect.

Industries

Discuss the most recent developments in your industry’s news or technology at a trade show. Find out how your sector is changing and what innovations consumers are most looking forward to.

Content

Find out if they have any books, blogs, podcasts, or videos to recommend. You could discover a topic of conversational interest.

Technology

Is someone utilizing a phone, tablet, or another gadget that interests you? Query them regarding it.

Events

If you’re at a conference or other event, you can enquire about the conference or event in general, the venue, your sector, the other person’s goals, what they’ve learned, and more.

Rules for using professional networking conversation starters

The easiest method to strike up a discussion at professional gatherings is to introduce yourself. By just introducing yourself and asking for their name in return, you may start a discussion. Having an open-ended question for further discussion thereafter is beneficial. It’s good to ask questions such as, “What do you think of the event so far?” or “Which session has been your favorite?”

In order to strike up a discussion during a networking event, consider the following advice. Find your favorite one-liner from our selection of 184 conversation starters to start your next discussion.

Locate A Loner

Don’t be scared to approach someone you observe standing alone in the corner holding onto their drink and appearing depressed. These folks typically require some assistance in starting a discussion.

Examples

“These networking gatherings can be so bizarre, man. Would it be all right if I joined you over here where it’s a bit quieter?”
“There are so many people here, wow! I guess the meal must be delicious.”

If someone is standing by himself, they typically don’t feel confident or at ease. If you start the discussion, they could feel more at ease and open to connecting.

Fish at the dinner table

Start a conversation with the individual standing next to you in line for lunch. You already have something in common: the food. This is a perfect chance to strike up a discussion. Everyone has the same thought in mind. What will I attempt? What is attractive? Therefore, initiate a discussion rather than remain still.

Examples

“Oh my God, everything looks fantastic. I’m unsure of what to buy! What do you have in mind?”
“They have delicious! Ever given it a shot?”
I’m not really sure what the food is, do you?

Who knows, you could leave the buffet with both a new friend and a better plate of food! I think that is a win-win situation.

Congratulate them

Everyone enjoys receiving praise, particularly when they are feeling vulnerable (and many people do feel that way when attending networking events). Find something to commend about someone if you’re having trouble striking up a discussion.

Here are a few concepts

“That beverage looks delicious. It is what?”
“Lovely shoes! How did you obtain them?”
“It’s a nice day, right?”

Discuss sports

Sports discourse is quite popular. If you enjoy sports, take advantage of it!

Observe a fan sporting a Red Sox cap? Use a phrase like, “Are you a Red Sox fan? Did you watch yesterday’s game?” Heard a gathering of individuals discussing the game from the previous night? If you’re interested in the topic, ask, “Are you talking about ___?” before joining in.

Simply Hello

Sometimes shaking hands and introducing yourself as Peter is the most straightforward approach to meeting someone.
A simple grin and a dash of confidence when introducing oneself may go a long way.

Continuing the conversation

I am aware of your thoughts. Yes, that’s all well and good, but how can I continue the discussion beyond my initial query? It’s simple! Talk about the occasion itself, something else you share in common.

Here are a few concepts:

By the way, my name is Gina; great to meet you.
Have you attended one of these events before?
How did you find out about this event, then?
“What a wonderful setting for a gathering, huh? Have you visited this location before?”

Try finding out more about them after that. One example of a question is:

Are you a native of the area?
What profession are you now engaged in or aiming to enter?

Get them chatting as the next stage. Keep in mind that most individuals like talking about themselves. Ask them questions about what they do once they’ve explained it to you. To name a few:

That’s really fascinating.
Why did you choose that profession?
What do you enjoy most about your work?
“Why are you especially interested in working in that industry?”

Your Exit Strategy

Your drink has run empty and you’re prepared to leave. Don’t try to continue the discussion after it starts to wane. Do not spend the entire evening with one person; remember, you are there to mix and mingle.

Try one of these statements to break off a conversation:

“Now that the queue has somewhat thinned out, I’ll go get some dinner. It was wonderful to meet you!”
“Do you know Lisa? She also has a job in your sector. You two will undoubtedly have interesting topics to discuss. I have to greet someone, but I’ll be back.”
“So, I suppose it’s time for me to leave. However, I would love to speak with you once more! Could I get your card or a way to reach you?”

To make the most of your time at your next networking event, keep in mind these conversation openers (and enders). Cheers to networking!

Common professional networking conversation starters

Find below some examples of professional networking conversation starters:

What is your favorite team in this World Cup?
Which would you choose if you could only go to one kind of networking event for the rest of your life: breakfasts or happy hours?
Exist any prevalent misunderstandings concerning your line of work?
I saw an article that said everyone had a side project these days (or four). Do you concur? Do you have any side projects in progress?
Have you ever eaten anything here? Which is good?
[For pairs] How did the two of you meet?
Are you enjoying yourself?
Which do you like more, hosting or attending events?
At-party activities: Good or bad? Why?
What did you think of [certain point stated by speaker]?
How would you dress for work if there was no dress code?
Do you have any predictions about the course of the conversation? (Or, at the conclusion of the gathering, “Did the conversation live up to your
expectations?”)
What was the finest present you have ever received?
What do you like best about living in this city? least preferred?
Exist any prevalent misunderstandings concerning your line of work?
Did you come tonight, why?
Which three words, if you had to summarize this occurrence, would you choose?
What upcoming projects do you have?
Which [sector] talents do you anticipate will be in demand the most during the next five years?
Do you follow any podcasts that are industry-specific?
Where do you like to get news about your industry?
What would you take away from today [morning, afternoon, evening] if you could only recall one piece of information or insight?
What would you select if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life?
What recent new skills have you acquired?
Are there any abilities you formerly believed to be essential to your career but are now finding to be unimportant?
Have any of the [appetizers, beverages, sides, etc.] caught your attention? Have any suggestions?
Why do you like working in person over working remotely?
What one skill would you most like to master?
Do you have a special beverage? (Points to their glass.)
Is everything going as you expected it to?
The host, how do you know him?
Have you lately been following [sports team/TV show/news]?
Have you recently dined at any new places?
What was the most intriguing item you recently read?
What was the most intriguing item you recently read?
Do you believe it takes you how many days to scroll a mile on your phone? A day? seven days?
You seem very recognizable! Did you attend [the prior event]?
What do you like and dislike most about working in [the industry]?
How long have you worked in this field? Have anything major changed since you entered this area?
Do you have any forthcoming plans to attend any events?
What has recently kept you busy?
Have you just arrived from work?
What do you like best about living in this city? least preferred?
What do you make of this location?
Which conference, whether real or imagined, would you loathe to miss?
What is a fact about you that isn’t available online?
What would be the subject of your presentation, if you were presenting one?
Have you recently taken any fascinating trips? I’m attempting to organize my upcoming vacation.
What would be the subject of your presentation, if you were presenting one?
Have you recently enrolled in any professional development courses?
Which business would you choose if you could observe a C-suite meeting from the inside?
What is a fact about you that isn’t available online?
Where would you choose to reside if you could live anyplace in the world?
What made the best boss you’ve ever had so great? Tell me about them.
What do you think? I wonder how many people would have come to this conference eight years ago.
Which song would be played next if you were in command of the playlist?
You appear to be [random occupation] material. Do I have a chance?
Would you be willing to create the dinner with only lunch meat, the contents of the freezer, and standard kitchen supplies if $200 were on the line?
Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor?
Are you anticipating anything in the upcoming weeks?
Did you realize the dream you had as a child?
What was the finest present you have ever received? Coming up is my friend’s birthday, thus I’d appreciate any suggestions.
I just discovered that “happy hours” were developed aboard Navy ships in the 1920s. Sailors were given daily breaks for wrestling and boxing
fights to break up the monotony of life at sea. Which version, the current or the old, do you prefer?
What distinguishes this conference from others that you have attended?
Do you ever consume podcasts? Who are they?
Do you prefer dogs or cats?
Do you own any animals?
Who would you choose to trade clothes with if you had to be here?
Most of the folks here do you know?
How do you feel about laws allowing for endless vacation time?
Do you believe they operate as they should?
Which corporate benefit would you most want to have?
Who would you invite to this party if you could ask anyone and they were certain to turn up?
What do others find most admirable about you?
What one non-work-related objective do you hope to accomplish in the upcoming five years?
What would you do if you were given the opportunity to redesign the conference room?
Who would you choose to speak with if you could spend a whole day with any professional in our field?
Do you have a go-to topic of discussion on occasions like these? It is what?
What blogs do you follow?
Do you ever consume podcasts? Who are they?
What would you change if you were in control of this forum and had limitless funds?
Do you often attend this kind of gathering?
How did you discover this forum?
Would you recommend the [iPhone 12, Moleskine notebook, etc.] because I’m in the market for a new [phone, computer, notebook, etc.]?
What accomplished you today?
Where have you bought your tie from? It looks great!
That beverage looks amazing. It is what?
What a fantastic location for a gathering, no? Have you visited this location before?
When did you move to [city]?
Have you had any enjoyable weekend plans? So that I don’t wind up watching Netflix and eating Ben & Jerry’s on the couch, I need some motivation.
Which song would be played next if you were in command of the playlist?
Which three words, if you had to summarize this occurrence, would you choose?
What topic would you choose to write a book about, if you could?
Say you had the option of inviting any three individuals from [industry, job, organization] to dinner. You would ask who?
What did you most recently learn outside of work?
What would you change if you were in charge of organizing this conference?
Have you ever read a decent book on [the topic of the event]?
Attend any other forums, too?
Do you have any forthcoming plans to attend any events?
I need your advice on a semi-important choice I have to make: Is [appetizer #1] better than [appetizer #2].
What did you think of the speech’s length, organization, and style?
You remind me of a famous person, but I can’t recall who it is… Who do others typically compare you to?
What was the finest freebie you ever received at an event?
Have you previously attended this conference? What has altered?
Before this, did you know who [speaker] was?
Why do you suppose [speaker] was selected?
Have you ever put on a similar event? What about managing the scenes shocked you?
What is the most unexpected thing you’ve discovered? (Add “so far?” if the conference hasn’t ended.)
Has this experience altered your perspective on the [business] or your position within it?
Did you have any issues with any of the arguments?
Outstanding [shoes/haircut/shirt]! How did you obtain it?
Which [speaker/panel] is your favorite?
Why did you choose to go?
Have you recently taken any fascinating trips? I’m attempting to organize my upcoming vacation.
What do you consider to be the key components of a successful party?
Do you intend to return the next year?
On a typical day, what would you be doing at this time?
I’m glad to have met you. How have you been today?
Are there others present with you? Do you prefer traveling alone or in a group to conferences?
Are you participating in any extracurricular activities while you’re here? Do you have any non-conference events scheduled?
What brought you to [city]?
Do you believe that most people relocate to or from [city]?
Do you not do anything? (Smile when you ask to convey that you’re having fun.)
Have you recently dined at any outstanding restaurants?
Where do you like to go on vacation?
Have you heard of the trend where hosts of dinner parties forbid small talk? Do you intend to attempt that?
Have you ever attended any of [organizer’s] events?
Why did you choose to visit this forum?
How was your [weekday] in comparison to others? (For instance, “Did you have, as Mondays go, a good Monday?”)
What would you be doing at this moment on a regular [day of the week]?
Is [the event’s theme] one of your main professional interests?
Why do you suppose they decided on this particular theme?
Do you have any prior knowledge of [city]? How do you feel about it?
Which panelist or speaker did you like the best? Which one do you think is most helpful?
Who was the hero of your youth?
Have you had a hidden talent?
Which speaker from this gathering would you most like to meet?
Which of these sessions would you want your whole organization to see if you could choose only one?
Which conference, whether real or imagined, would you loathe to miss?
Do you believe that the sector needs additional conferences? Less?
What made you decide to attend [name of conference]?
Do you intend to tour [city] at all?
Would you suggest the most recent documentary you saw? If not, why not?
What do you anticipate will happen to this conference’s attendance in eight years?
Do you frequently attend conferences?
Would you want to spend the rest of your life just hosting elaborate dinner parties or theme gatherings?
Outstanding [shoes/haircut/shirt]! How did you obtain it?
What do you have on you?
Which conference did you attend for the first time?
Which genre would a movie about your current position fall under? What do they refer to it as?
I adore your [tie, jewelry, shoes, or outfit]! What source did you use?
Would you ever have a conference at your company? (Alternatively, if they work for a major corporation, ask whether they host conferences.)
Wow, there are so many phones in use; it seems like email addiction is genuine. Do you believe your business would continue to exist if the CEO outlawed internal email?
Consider yourself the only [title] in the room, do you?
Do you have local ties? (If so, please provide any recommendations for [restaurants, museums, shops, or music]. If not, ask: “From where are
you?”
What do you think is underappreciated in your field?
What special traditions does your organization have?
Which type of books, TV series, or music would you like to read, watch, or listen to for the rest of your life?
From where did you relocate to [city]? What do you miss most and what were you relieved to leave behind in your previous town?
What did you learn the most from the [speaker/panel]?
Would you suggest any Netflix, Hulu, or television shows?
What four objects from this room would you bring if you were stranded on a desert island?
What movie did you last watch in a theater? Was the journey worthwhile?
Will you return to this event the following year?
Which [restaurant, coffee shop, or bar] in [city] would you suggest if you could only pick one?
Have you already met or seen any of the speakers?
Do you believe that adding or subtracting a day from the conference would be beneficial? Why?
What subject is it that people always ask you about?
Which time period in history would you like to spend a month if you could do so without risking injury or altering the course of history?
Which profession would you be in if you weren’t in [X]?

The Best Topic for a Conversation

The ultimate networking query that you may posit to anybody, everywhere, at any time is, of course,

What do you enjoy most about your work?

This question enables respondents to delve into their passions, which immediately puts them in a good mood and increases the likelihood that they will like your talk. It also adds a new spin to a tried-and-true formula. You’ll be the first one to stand out among the sea of other small talkers.

Final thought

At the end of the day, it’s always a bit simpler — or at least more relaxed — to socialize with people who have previously shown an interest in getting to know you. Additionally, if the bulk of participants is locals, you have a wealth of pre-built questions at your disposal about the place, like how long they’ve lived here and what activities they enjoy.

It’s crucial to be more relaxed at happy hour. Having someone begin with a different topic than the event or what they do for a job might be a breath of fresh air for those who have had a long day of researching and attending lectures. Nothing pulls people together like whining after a hard day! If anything humorous happened or if anything didn’t go well during the event, a joke about it is a terrific starter!

Generally speaking, your questions need to be a little more informal than those you may ask at a conference or speaker event. Adjust your tone to reflect that happy hours are for combining work and pleasure. I hope these tips on examples of professional networking conversation starters will be helpful for you.