10 Questions for Working a Room Full of Strangers

Related: 9 Questions to Get People Talking

Spring is coming. In our part of the Northeast, it has been a mild winter so far, but when the leaves and flowers come out, the event calendar will really fill up. You may find yourself attending weddings, class reunions, charity galas, fun runs or sports events at your children’s school. You may find yourself in situations where you do not know anyone in the room. What can you do?

Start by being optimistic. A common adage, often attributed to William Butler Yeats, goes, “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet.” Put another way, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

So go ahead! Start a conversation with a stranger! Here are a few thoughts before you walk up to someone and start speaking:

Smile. It makes a difference.
Plan on investing time in the conversation if it seems to be going somewhere.
Read the room. If the person is attached to a larger group or is visibly upset, this might not be the ideal moment.
Adopt the mindset that this person could be the most interesting person in the room if you get them onto the right subject.
Avoid politics and religion. You do not know them yet.

Once you have your target picked out, what do you say? There are plenty of ways to get people to open up and share information. You can make conversation without people waiting for you to give them a sales pitch.

Check out the slideshow for a few suggestions.