We’re not always lucky enough to attend a party or conference or any other event or occasion where we know most of the people there. Networking is a much-hated word, but the reality is, most of the time when you are out of your comfort zone, this is exactly what you’re doing on a formal or informal basis. Whether it’s trying to secure investment or make some new pals at that conference for the after party, then guess what –  that’s networking!

If you’re hosting an event, you’ve got a big responsibility – a room full of awkward, stunted conversations does not a memorable event make! We’ve rounded up some of the most memorable ways to break the ice, try it out at your next event!

The first step is to get the energy flowing , this is really important as it will set the tone of the events and connect as many people as possible– Jolt new arrivals that have their head stuck in their phones into actively engaging by kicking things off with a physical task. Some great examples include:

Getting everyone to sing a hit song together– choose a classic crowd pleaser like “Yellow Submarine” or the summer song (Despacito?Macarena? the list is endless!)

Set a quick task – get everyone to find their “twin”. It could be horoscope twin, hometown or team twin or even someone wearing the same colour jumper. The idea is that people are moving and mingling with as many other participants as possible.

Take a selfe together! Find the longest selfie stick that you can and get everyone really up close and personal together while you take a couple of shots. Now, not only have you broken the ice, but you’ve got a photo for people to share and tag, ensuring your event engagement goes that step further!

*Caveat! Eyerolls will be plentiful but look around the room – we can bet that the energy will have shifted and people will have bonded over the silliness of it all and who knows, you might even break a world record!