Networking Speed Dating
Using the speed dating format at your corporate networking event is a great way to get people moving.
Instead of letting people mingle and risk some of them talking too much or others too little, give everyone one minute to give a quick one-on-one pitch of who they are and what they do.
Then reshuffle. If there are enough people, they can continue their discussions when they re-connect, one minute at a time. This can potentially expose people to more guests than they might meet on their own, and help them decide who to follow up with later, such as possible leads.
Play the Professional Version of ‘Never Have I Ever’
This one is a great corporate networking event icebreaker. Turn the classic drinking game into an opportunity for people to compare notes about how crazy their industry is and get everyone laughing about it.
This will work best if everyone is in a similar line of work. The drinking game revolves around someone throwing out an outlandish behavior or action, and everyone who has been in that particular situation performs an action – which usually ends up to be drinking. In the conference version, people can share things like crazy client requests, interesting days at work, or memorable workplace adventures.
2 Truths and a Lie
Ask each person to write down three things people won’t know about them professionally or their job, but the catch is that only one item is true. Other guests will enjoy guessing which one is true, possibly by asking yes-or-no questions. This format could be especially enjoyable if people work in the same field so people generally will know the basic duties.
Color Coded Nametags
When people check in, give them each a different colored dots or color swatches on their nametags, but don’t tell them why. This encourages conversation as they try to match others with their color. As the organizers, you can encourage those with the same color to sit together at meals, attend sessions together or perform tasks together.
This gets them talking to others with the same color—people they might not have approached on their own. This builds loyalty and common ground.
Or go the opposite route and require only one of each color to be seated at a table. This keeps people from ‘clustering’ in terms of always sitting by co-workers or others they may know in the field and requires them to sit with others they may not know.
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Play Fair and Square
Give everyone a grid and tell them to perform certain tasks in order to get it filled out. Maybe it could be visiting every booth or talking to every vendor. Maybe it can be learning about different businesses or promotions (highlight those sponsors!). Some of the more challenging squares can encourage people to team up or meet someone new, even as a required task.
Once you start getting creative—adapting traditional icebreakers, party games, or even themed networking games with a fun business twist—you’re on your way to hosting a memorable event where people step out of their comfort zones, have fun, and maybe even leave with some solid leads.
