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Business Networking: 10 Conversation Generators
You’re at a business networking event. You’ve mastered your body language, you’ve read all the business networking books you can get your hands on and now it’s time to actually talk to people at a business networking event. And that means starting a conversation that’s meaningful and not a half-hearted:
“Do you come here often? What work do you do?”
What can you say that generates a conversation and makes you both look interesting? And it cannot be run of the mill conversations like “What do you do for a living”. You need nice, open-ended questions that enable a business conversation without sounding like an interrogation. You could also ask how they heard about the event.
Well don’t panic, 1230 TWC have got your back. Here are 10 conversation generators that will get the conversation flowing nicely, but obviously you don’t need to ask them all at once!
The first question is a great one because it enables you to think about who you can connect to the person you’re networking with, when you follow it up with question two, you’re clarifying exactly who they love to work with. Question three enables you to identify who can help from your own network, if help is desired of course. These three questions alone will enable you to build your network and make attractive introductions.
- What type of clients does your business attract?
- What type of client is your least profitable and why?
- What is your biggest business challenge?
- Do you have employees? If so, what’s the most difficult thing you have to deal with relating to your employees?
- What’s the best thing that happened in your business so far this year?
- What is a typical working day like for you?
- How much client contact do you have on a daily basis?
- What do you like and dislike most about your business?
- What are the toughest problems and decisions that you handle?
- What is your next business move?
That’s 10 conversations starters! What about three more to really get your conversations going? Try:
- What problems or needs exist within your industry?
- Who are the most important people in your industry today?
- Where do you see your company going in the coming year?
I recommend you ask the last three when you have built up a rapport with the networker. To ask them straight away will make it look like you’re assessing their value to your network, and it’s based on their response!
The simplest, I find most effective is “Tell me about you.”
Wishing you many happy business networking conversations
PS What questions would you add to the list?
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About the Author Jackie Groundsell
Jackie Groundsell -The Connector, owner of 1230 The Women’s Company (TWC) is also known as the queen of women's business networking meetings and events. As a businesswoman herself for the past 25 + years, she’s been there, done that and got the T-shirt! She’s an approachable recognised business Expert, Mentor, IT Trainer and has e supported thousands of small business owners through her events and lunch-time meetings Jackie is also a weekly Radio presenter, reaching and supporting even further into the business world. ... and would love to hear from you.