The title does not refer to the non-stop snow we have been bombarded with during the winter of 2014 in the northeast. Rather, it refers to finding a way to start a conversation during a networking event even if you are the self-proclaimed shyest person in the world.
The best way to break the ice is to get someone talking about their favorite subject.
Image courtesy of graur codrin/freedigitalphotos.net
What is that subject? Themselves.
Ask questions which elicit information about the person with whom you are speaking.
People love talking about themselves; they want others to know who they are. It’s time to stop worrying about what you are going to say about yourself and your practice and concentrate all of the conversation on the other person. Ask questions about their business, their lives, and their families and then just listen.
The biggest problem most of us have is not being able to actively listen to the answers. Instead we are waiting for an opportunity to chime in, to show them who we are and what we know.
Here are just a few questions you can use to break the ice:
- Why did you start your company?
- How did you get involved in this industry?
- What do you like most about what you do?
- Do you come to these networking events on a regular basis?
- What’s the most important issue affecting your business right now?
In addition to getting people to talk about themselves, if you listen carefully to their answers you will be able to find follow up questions to continue the conversation.
In fact, while trite, even asking someone about the weather, as bad as it’s been over the past few months, will allow you to start a conversation without too much effort.
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Speak Your Mind