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Breaking the Ice: 10 Useful Tips for Meeting New People
Blush and Bar
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Ever wondered what the perfect icebreaker formula is for any occasion?
Truth be told, there probably isn’t one. But that’s missing the point.
More power lies in your ability to feel the social atmosphere and the body language of those around you.
One thing’s for sure: it never hurts to have lots of ideas up your sleeve! The sooner people feel comfortable around you when you first meet, the better.
We’ve collected ten ice-breaking tips and tricks to avoid the dreaded awkward silence that too often looms over first introductions. Let’s get to it!
1. Start strong
Your first line of defense when meeting someone new is the first impression you make on them.
Make it a good one! A friendly, welcoming smile, a good firm handshake (if appropriate), and, most importantly, steady eye contact.
Together, these nonverbal cues communicate sincerity and confidence. And make sure your demeanor is natural and relaxed! It will make the other person feel at ease.
2. Move past pleasantries
If you want to avoid boring your new acquaintance, spend as little time as possible on mundane pleasantries.
Don’t dwell for too long on the weather and how the trip went. (Unless, of course, there happens to be something uniquely interesting about those topics on this particular day.)
If you rely on small talk to make the introduction, you probably won’t get very far. Your best bet is to get straight to the meat of the conversation.
3. Make a joke
Everyone likes to laugh. It naturally calms the nerves and sets a positive mood.
If you can coax a laugh or a smile out of another person by debuting your charming sense of humor—then, by all means, do so! This icebreaker move is a classic for a reason.
Of course, you’ll need to make sure your joke is falling on the right ears. When you’re making a new acquaintance, it’s best to tread lightly at first.
If your favorite joke isn’t entirely appropriate for the occasion, or if there’s a chance it could be taken the wrong way, it’s best to avoid that risk and pick something safer.
Just make sure it’s still funny! You may want to give potential icebreaker jokes a few test runs, just to be safe.
4. Notice what you have in common
When you’re struggling to think of something interesting to say, commonalities are your best friend.
Depending on the circumstances of the introduction, you can probably figure out something you might have in common.
Whether you’re at a work event, a wedding, or in line at the DMV, start a conversation with a comment or question that you know the other person can relate to.
That way, if they aren’t sure what to say to you, you’re putting them at ease by giving them something easy to discuss.
5. Tell a relatable story
Once you have an idea of what the other person might be able to relate to, pull out one of your favorite stories about yourself.
We all have personal anecdotes that we know always get a great reaction. If the time is right, don’t be afraid to share it with the person you just met.
It could be a story about an embarrassing moment or a crazy experience. Whatever it is, keep it light-hearted and engaging.
6. Compliment their jewelry
You can never go wrong with a tasteful compliment. But not all compliments start a conversation.
You want to compliment something about their appearance that they clearly put thought into or that is personal to them.
Calling attention to the other person’s jewelry is always a good choice! It’s a precise indicator of their overall taste and sense of style, and it most likely means something to them.
Just in case the other person doesn’t take the bait at first, make sure you have something more to comment on or to ask about to keep the conversation going.
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7. Offer them something
Hospitality is a true form of friendliness. Take advantage of this by offering something to your new acquaintance that will help them feel at ease.
This could be anything, really. For example, maybe you’re at a conference, and the person sitting next to you discovers their pen is dried out. Offer them one of yours!
Or, if you’re going to get something to drink, ask if you can bring anything back for them.
These are small gestures, but they make an impression that won’t soon be forgotten.
8. Pose a challenge
If you want to show your spunky side, get people talking in a group setting by posing an interesting challenge.
You could say you’re collecting opinions on a specific topic, and ask a “this or that” question. Conversations start when people start taking sides.
Other ideas include making playful “bets” or asking a thought-provoking question that inspires strong opinions.
Just keep things low-key, and enjoy where the conversation leads!
9. Ask for advice or expertise
Once you find out a few things about the person you just met, find a way to ask them for their advice about something.
This is as good as giving a compliment because it shows that you recognize (and value) their expertise on a particular topic.
Plus, chances are, it’s something they feel confident talking about. And as we’ll discuss next, that’s exactly what you want!
10. Get them talking
Your most important objective when breaking the ice is to find a way to get the other person talking. Achieve this by asking them questions about themselves.
While the first few questions might be somewhat mundane (such as, “what do you do?” or “read any good books lately?”), the end goal is to find something to latch onto that leads to a more interesting conversation.
Source: Inga Seliverstona via Pexels
So don’t be afraid to ask a couple of boring questions! If you know how to direct the conversation, you’ll find common ground in no time.
Conclusion
Breaking the ice is all about making other people feel comfortable around you.
When this happens, you both make a new connection. As a side benefit, you also help each other feel at ease in the social scene in which you find yourself.
By inspiring confidence in each other, you’re guaranteed to have more fun and make better memories. Cheers to that!
