Look Out for Other People on Their Own

Unless the room is full of super confident networkers, the chances are someone else is going to be feeling out of place too. Take a look around the room for other loners and try the following:

“Do you work for (insert company name)? I work for (insert your company’s name)”
One of the best ways to get someone talking about themselves or their reason for being at an event is to find out more about their company. This is also a great opportunity to learn about their role and brag about yours.

“Hi there, I’m Sam.”
Okay, so starting with your name might seem a little simplistic. However, sometimes the simplest conversation starters are the best. If they’re struggling to network, they’ll appreciate pretty much any introduction.

“Wow these events are tough, networking can be a bit of a bore sometimes.”
You don’t have to use these exact words, but sometimes demonstrating a little empathy can take you really far. If you have a mutual distaste for networking, you’ll soon get talking.

Start Discussing the Food

Whether the food is dire or amazing, discussing it is a great networking event conversation starter. The chances are there’ll be no in between point, so you’re onto a winner here. Give the following a go:

“Beef is a little dry, isn’t it?”
Unless the person you’re talking to is a vegetarian or vegan, the chances are they’re going to have some strong opinions about the state of the meat. Even if they don’t eat meat, you’re going to get them talking about something they care about.

“Have you ever tried sushi? I don’t know what to make of it!”
Again, you don’t have to focus specifically on sushi. Just look for a dish that you haven’t really given a chance before and start talking.

“Hey your drink looks good, what is it?”
When someone’s feeling a little insecure, complimenting them on practically any aspect of their presence is going to make them feel better.

Start Paying Compliments

Remember when you were in secondary school and wanted to get talking to someone else in the room? If you ever found success, the chances were you paid them a compliment. Fortunately this isn’t always perceived as flirting when you’re an adult, especially when you’re at a networking event and therefore being professional. The following can work:

“I love your shoes/necklace/tie, where did you get it from?”
Here it’s going to be quite obvious that you’re just initiating conversation. The chances are they’ll want to continue.

“I hear you work for (insert company name), that must be quite exciting/challenging?”
Obviously you should only try this if you genuinely know whom the person might work for. At some events, this is made pretty obvious. Going in blind and simply plucking a company name from thin air can make you look a bit daft.

Focus on Topics that are Relevant to Your Industry

A lot of networking experts believe you should take a quick glance at current events before heading to a party, just so you have something to chat about. Google News is a great resource here; you can just type the topic in and there’s a very high chance something will come up. Try:

“Did you hear about Company X’s share value dropping?”
This might seem like you’re seizing the opportunity to gossip, but it’s actually a great way to make the conversation flow as you discuss an important development.

“I hear Company Y might be opening a new branch in Camden this year, what do you reckon?”
Again, this is one of those conversation starters that you should only initiate if you’ve actually heard the information elsewhere. Making something up just generates an unnecessary and unhelpful rumour.

Keep Asking Questions

Once you get the conversation started, you’re going to need a few more exchanges to make it flow. Always remember that most people will want to do the same, so this shouldn’t be seen as an insurmountable challenge. People love to talk about themselves and they’re likely to remember a listener who’s attentive. Keep asking questions, make sure your interest at least appears genuine, and answer anything that’s fired at you.

Finally, always remember to be yourself, but the best version of yourself that you can be. Once you’ve had a few exchanges, you should find that the rest of the evening feels less stressful.