Dating & social
How to talk to a stranger at a networking event
You’re talking to Olivia, another guest. The goal: introduce yourself, ask good questions, and swap contact info.
Your first line
Olivia starts with “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Olivia.”
“Nice to meet you, Olivia. I’m Jordan, I do bookkeeping for small restaurants. What brought you out tonight?”
A plain one-line intro, then a real question about her. Follow her answer with a second question and she’ll stay in the conversation.
What Olivia might say, and what to say back
Olivia: “Oh, cool. I’m in marketing, mostly just meeting people.”
You: “Nice. What are you working on these days that you’re excited about?”
Olivia: “Ha, yeah, it’s packed in here.”
You: “It really is. So how did you end up in marketing?”
Olivia: “I should probably go say hi to a few people.”
You: “Of course. Can I grab your email? I’d love to keep talking about this.”
Two things that trip people up
- Weather and traffic talk, or a full rundown of your resume.One line on what you do, then ask about her and follow up on her answer.
- Letting her walk away without asking to stay in touch.Ask plainly: “Can I grab your email? I’d love to keep talking.”
Now say it out loud
Reading the words isn’t the same as saying them. Practice this one with Olivia pushing back like the real person would. Then your coach, Sol, fixes your exact words. The move to focus on: Second question.
Practice this one free3 free reps a day. No sign-up. Out loud or typed.