Whether you want to start a conversation with a new guy or girl, or you want to get a meeting off to a great start, a good ice breaker can help you make a memorable first impression. It can turn that first encounter with someone new into something wonderful — maybe even a lasting friendship or valuable partnership.
A bad ice breaker, however, can be a recipe for disaster. It can spiral out of control and become a terrible waste of time or an embarrassment for everyone involved. So how do you start a meaningful conversation with someone new and avoid embarrassments or awkward moments of silence? Where do you begin?
Understand that it’s normal to feel nervous when approaching someone new. Everyone gets a little shy at first — after all, you don’t know what this other person is like. Start by filling your idea vault with possible ice breakers to start a conversation and follow-up questions to sustain the conversation. Listen attentively to the other person’s responses, because this can make or break your follow-up questions. To help you out with ideas for starting a conversation, here are 10 of the most effective ice breakers you can use in different scenarios to get a conversation off and running.
“How Are You Doing Today?”
A genuine hello accompanied by a heartwarming, three-second smile is one of the most basic, highly effective ice breakers there is. Often, we brush simple things aside as being too simple, not realising the simplest things can have the biggest impact in life.
Think about the people who say “good morning” or “howdy” to their neighbours. This simple greeting is usually followed up with “how are you” or “how are the kids?” Before long, the two parties are talking about their families and even favourite sports teams.
“Nice Earrings!”
This comment represents a classic technique that is quite effective for starting a conversation. Regardless of whom you are talking to, saying something genuinely nice about their outfit, accessories, or even mood will usually be received well.
The person receiving the compliment will thank you and possibly say something nice about you in return. In doing this, a dialogue begins. Keep the dialogue going by asking a question like “Where did you buy the earrings? I really like them.”
“Does This Shop Always Have Such Long Lines?”
Simply commenting on an unpleasant or uncomfortable situation that you both experience in your immediate surroundings is another effective strategy for starting a conversation. You can comment about a long bathroom line or wobbly waiting-room chair.
By focusing on an unpleasant situation that you both find yourselves in and subtly complaining about it, you cleverly suck the other person into an unwitting pact that unites both of you against a common enemy.
“I’m Loving This Cold Snap!”
Yes. Talk about the weather. It may sound clichéd, but it works wonders in real life. People talk about the weather all the time — it’s a topic everyone has an opinion on. Think of how you have an opinion about what dress or fashion choice is right for different weather.
Once the person responds, you can ease into the conversation with “small talk”, like “The wind is so strong; it nearly blew me over!”
“Oh, Did You Hear About”¦”
Kick-start a conversation with a description of an interesting or funny story. Get right in to your story description and then allow the other person to make a remark or share an opinion of the story.
If your story is interesting enough, there really is no telling where it could take the ensuing dialogue and for how long you could stretch the conversation once your new friend gets on board.
“What Kind of Drink is That?”
People love eating and drinking. If the person you want to start a conversation with has a nice-looking drink or a delicious-looking burger, comment on how delicious (or not delicious) the burger is. Alternatively ask what kind of drink he or she’s having.
When he or she replies, follow up with something like “Do you really like it?” or “Can I buy you another?” Introduce yourself, and don’t forget to flash your best smile.
“That’s a Lovely Name; Are You Named After Someone?”
This works especially well in a workplace setting, business meeting or conference where people are wearing name tags. If he or she has an interesting name, walk up to them and say something like, “Camille, lovely name. What’s the origin of the name?” She’ll probably be excited to tell you about her name, and a conversation will ensue before you know it.
“Hello, Do You Work Here?”
This also works well at a workplace or business setting where people are wearing name tags. Even if you know the answer, ask whether he or she works there anyway. If you know some people who work at his or her company or retail store, mention them.
Follow up with related questions like “What do you do here?”, “Have you been working here a long time?”, “Do you like it here?” and “What’s the best/worst part of your job?
“People Call Me David, but You Can Call Me TONIGHT.”
OK, telling a joke is easier said than done. Jokes can be tricky, but they’re some of the best conversations starters to throw at someone new. They help the other person see a witty, fun side of your personality.
That said, unless you’re really confident about your joke-telling skills, it’s probably a good idea to avoid them or start with a self-deprecating joke. You can’t possibly offend yourself, can you?
“Excuse Me, I Just Thought I Should Come Over and Talk to You.”
Sometimes, the best and most fun ice breaker is honesty. Walk up to him or her and just be honest. Tell him or her that you want to talk. Point out how awkward and funny the situation actually is for both of you and that you are trying to make the best of it. Honesty really can be the best policy.
This story has been updated since its original publication date.
10 of the Most Effective Ice Breakers for Starting Meaningful Conversations [Lifehack]
David K. William is a web writer, publisher and consultant. He writes and publishes articles, reports and fiction for web and print media. David is also founding editor of WebWriterSpotlight.com where he shares tips and tricks about the art of web content writing and building successful businesses online. Follow on Twitter @writerspotlight.
This story has been updated since its original publication.
Comments
26 responses to “Break The Ice In Any Situation With These 10 Conversation Starters”
Point seven will only work on someone with a boring or common name. Anyone with a genuinely unusual name would rather punch you in the face than tell you their name-story for the eleventy-billionth time in their life.
Source: Having to introduce myself twice every time for my entire life because you weren’t sure you heard it right the first time, and then explaining where the name is from.
This is so true, I too have a rather unusual name and this is the one topic people talk to me about before it goes no further. Sure it might be interesting to you, but I hate talking about it, it’s something I had no say on, and undermines anything further of myself – I’m no one trick pony. So instead I shift to conversation to something a little weird/unusual (see: interesting) and suddenly people don’t want to engage because they are required to think and or form an opinion/position etc. Maybe by having such a name means being actually interesting is superfluous, maybe if I were named John people might think I was interesting…
Same. I have unique name too and I’m really sick of the questions.
I wish I was called john. Or David. So much simpler.
I was called John or David, but hated it, so settled for Clyff: named after a broken mountain if any smartie asks.
Sigh me too. It’s a pain face to face but also I answer phones at my job so I just roll with whatever they think they heard these days.
ahhh thats so true…. ive given up correcting people on the phone.
lol. I have a fairly common name and yet I constantly get Andrew on the phone. I just don’t bother these days. But if they use the shortened version to my name after I tell them, I’m quick to correct them on the spot. As I find it disrespectful to abbreviate a persons name unless they ask you too.
Just think of all the kids being born now whose idiot parents are calling them shit like Rumer, Jamilla, Zavior, Greegarry etc because it’s “cute” and it shows the world what a unique little snowflake they are, which the parents can definitely tell they are even before they’re able to shit themselves. Unlike every other child ever born.
The name is from a piece of game software, right?
An ice breaker I usually use in a group of people (especially if it’s a group that doesn’t know each other well) is to ask a question that everyone has to answer, going around the group. You can either start first or be last (which can help you get other people to know you better, because you are mc’ing the discussion). The question needs to be something that would reveal a bit of who you are, like “what’s the TV show you liked the most as a child”, or “if money was no limit, what car would you have in your garage”, or “if you held a dinner for four people, who in history or fiction would you invite”. The question should really make you think and it should be from left field but answerable. The insight you get from the answers can really bind a group of people together quickly, because they now feel that they people better.
Just know that when you do this, everyone in the group inwardly cringes and hates you.
You sound like you work in HR or are some form of workplace trainer.
your icebreakers sound like game show questions…
Recycled article from 2013, you replied to a really old comment. (Hows that for an icebreaker)
Holy crap you’re right!!!…Why they hell did they reprint an old article but didn’t even bother to clear the old comments???
Hi,
Have you met Ted ?
Hi. Have you met Mr Winky? He lives in my pants and only has one eye….
Bringing up topics of politics and religion often goes down well at starting a conversation…
whats always worked best for me is a simple ‘hi, hows it going.’
but then again, ‘best for me’ is not very good by any means. its all downhill after that.
Is there an article then for ten ways to get out of the conversation when you find you no longer want to talk to this person?
1. I hope you had a horrible day
2. Those earrings are terrible! Where the heck did you get them?
3. I usually dont mind waiting is such long lines, but you’re making it unbearable
4. Chicargo really is the windy city because you’re pretty flatulent tonight
5. Did you hear about the time I stabbed this guy in the hand because he wouldnt stop talking to me?
6. What kind of drink is that…it looks disgusting and so do you
7. Hello. Do you work here? It’s a dead end job and you suck at doing it.
8. People call me David, but you can call me TONIGHT. Actually, no they dont. It’s just a name I give to people I’m not interested in talking to Dont call me MAYBE. Just dont call me. EVER.
9. That’s a lovely name, are you named after (insert celebrity name)’s pet slug?
10. Excuse me, I just thought I should come over and talk to you about what happened when i was probed by aliens…
BONUS: Ever eaten a live mouse? *lick lips*. They’re super tasty!
EDIT: These are even better when said totally out of context…
Bahahaha, I genuinely laughed at those.
I’d be careful with self-deprecating jokes though.
How you treat yourself can be a fairly good indicator of how other people think that you’ll treat them. Whether or not you will, it’s something people simply look out for.
If you are going for a self-deprecating joke, make sure to laugh with it, so that the other person you’re talking to knows that they can as well, and that you give the impression that you don’t hold a lot of conviction to what they’re saying.
But it’s funny because it’s true 🙂
Seriously, the last suggestion is great. Wish I’d thought of it 10 years ago…but be prepared for a retort, and a/or a follow up question.
Retort is possibly: “Why?” answer is: you look interesting/I like to meet new people/I’d hope you’d like to share a moment of conversation with you…if you get the flick, power over it with: “better to find out now than waste five minutes”
Follow up question: what brings you here/have you spotted the most amazing person here (either you have a choice, or there is no one)…
Missing the best one yet – happy to hand this over as I’m now happily married.
“you have great eyebrows”
Sounds weird, but a girl’s eyebrows are the window to her insecurity. Compliment them and you’re suddenly relevant, insult them and she’ll never shake it off.