By Allison Graham at FastCompany.com
Do you love going to events, but find
yourself stranded during happy hour, tongue-tied and tucked in a corner?
Initiating and maintaining conversations while networking is a necessary skill,
and one you can easily improve with these simple tips.
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Questions to get the conversations flowing:
"What’s your connection to the event?" This question can uncover
mutual contacts and usually leads to a more robust answer than if you asked the
typical “Have you been to this event before?”
"What’s keeping you busy when you’re not at events like this
or at work?" This question gives the encouragement necessary for the person to
share his/her passions and outside interests. It is an excellent way to add
some enthusiasm into a conversation that has hit a lull, especially if he/she
would prefer to be doing that activity at that moment.
"Are you getting away this summer?" This question can lead to
conversations about family, reveal special interests and, if you like talking
about travel, it’s a sure-fire way to keep a conversation interesting.
"Are you working on any charity initiatives?" This question makes it easy
to launch into a deeper connection. If they’re not involved with any projects,
they often share reasons which is usually revealing, and if they are doing
something of value they will be more than happy to share.
"How did you come to be in your line of work?" For some, the path to where
they are today can be quite an interesting ordeal. Having a chance to revisit
their story to success can leave helpful clues along the way as to who they are
and what makes them tick.
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