I want to show you how to actually start a conversation and show you the best opening topics. The goal of any great conversation is to find common ground. So you just start fishing for it, basically.
7. “Do you know where the restroom/bar/food is?”
You just need a way into a conversation, so this is the easiest opening. From there, you can talk about how hard “X” was to find.
6. “So where are you from?”
This applies to someone if they don’t seem like they’re from around here, but if you’re not sure, then you can default to “Hey! Are you from around here?” Whatever they’re answer may be, you now can talk about where they’re from or the city you both live in.
5. “That looks good. What is that? Where did you get that?”
If they’re eating or drinking something – this a great way to start talking with someone.
4. “I really like X (something they’re wearing). Who makes it or where did you get it?”
Similar to #5. Everyone loves being complimented. It makes them instantly let their guard down and then you can follow up with one of the next few conversation starters.
3. “What was the best part of your day today?”
In any kind of setting, this is an opening that will get you remembered. It can catch someone off guard at first, but then they’ll think about what an interesting and pleasant question that was.
2. “What brought you here today/tonight/etc?”
If you’re at a bar or an event that’s not hosted by someone specifically, then this is a great question to find common ground.
1. “So how do you know the host?”
This is my go-to conversation opener. If you’re at an event or party, you can always use the host as an excuse to learn about the people there.