100 Prompts to Spark Conversation at Your Next Event

It can be tough to break the ice during an event, especially if attendees don’t already know each other. But here at Cadence, we specialize in creating unforgettable experiences and forming lasting connections. Whether it be for getting to know your event group for the first time, or giving attendees the tools to break the ice during one-on-one networking sessions, you can use this list to choose some engaging prompts to get conversation flowing!

Personal

Open up the floor to let attendees get to know each other on a personal level with some light-hearted questions.

1. What’s your favorite place you’ve lived?
2. If you could spend an evening with anyone dead or alive, who would you pick and what would you do?
3. If you had to move abroad tomorrow, where would you move?
4. If you could be any age you’ve already been, what would it be and why?
5. If you could choose another Wonder of the World, what would you choose and why?
6. What’s your favorite type of rain?
7. What are the values you live by?
8. Do you believe in ghosts?
9. What do you enjoy doing to relieve stress?
10. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever eaten?
11. Do you wear house slippers?
12. Have you ever met a famous person?
13. What’s a hobby you have that most people don’t know about?
14. What’s your McDonald’s order?
15. How would you spend the perfect snow day?
16. What’s your biggest fear?
17. What color would you choose for your front door?
18. If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would it be?
19. What’s the worst advice you’ve ever given?
20. What book would you bring with you to a deserted island?

Professional

Choose any of these questions to open up the conversation for more corporate events and get attendees in the head space for professional development.

1. Would you classify yourself as a leader or a follower?
2. What’s something you’d like to do in your current position?
3. What’s something you’re hoping to learn this month?
4. What’s your favorite way to receive feedback?
5. What’s one thing you hope you do for your company’s culture?
6. What was a highlight from last week, last month, last year?
7. What do you want to achieve this year?
8. Do you spend enough time exploring new ideas?
9. What was your first job?
10. If you could pick up a new skill, what would it be?
11. Do you take notes on paper or on your computer?
12. What’s your favorite thing to do with coworkers?
13. What’s your greatest ambition?
14. If you could have an extra hour of free time everyday, what would you use it for?
15. Have you ever surprised yourself on a project you did?
16. Have you ever been afraid to suggest an idea at work because you thought someone might shoot it down?
17. How many meetings a day do you feel like is too many meetings?
18. How do you sign your emails?
19. What’s something you want to see implemented on your team by the end of the year?
20. Do you like the five day work week? If not, what do you think would be better?

Would You Rather

Would You Rather questions are great if you’re looking to create groups from attendees. Record answers and create groups of people with the same answer, or spice things up and mix people up that answered opposite!

1. Would you rather open a bottle of wine or a bottle of beer?
2. Would you rather have a sweet or savory snack?
3. Would you rather have Chipotle or Qdoba?
4. Would you rather play video games or read a book?
5. Would you rather vacation in the mountains or at the beach?
6. Would you rather listen to Pop or Classic Rock?
7. Would you rather only be able to dance like a maniac or not be able to dance at all?
8. Would you rather read minds or be invisible?
9. Would you rather spend the day completely alone or with someone who kind of annoys you?
10. Would you rather be able to sing or play the piano?
11. Would you rather only be able to text people or only be able to call people?
12. Would you rather have no social media or no streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, etc.)?
13. Would you rather live forever or be able to teleport?
14. Would you rather live with roommates for the rest of your life or live alone for the rest of your life?
15. Would you rather climb a difficult mountain or run a marathon?
16. Would you rather clean the kitchen or the bathroom?
17. Would you rather never be able to have soup or never be able to have smoothies?
18. Would you rather sleep go to bed at 9pm every day or 3am every day?
19. Would you rather watch Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings?
20. Would you rather host a podcast or star in a movie?

One Word

If you’re shorter on time or have more attendees, one-word ice-breakers make people think while keeping things moving fast.

1. How do you want people to think of you when they first meet you?
2. How does spending time with your family make you feel?
3. How would you describe a good day for yourself?
4. What does a good night sleep mean for you?
5. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what word would you want a picture of yourself to embody?
6. Describe your weekend on one word.
7. What’s one word you’d want younger you to always remember?
8. What do you feel when you look up at the sky?
9. How do you feel when you’re late?
10. How does alone time make you feel?
11. What’s your favorite thing about unwinding after a long day?
12. What does traveling mean for you?
13. How does a first date make you feel?
14. How does the winter affect you?
15. How does spending time with your friends make you feel?
16. Describe how music makes you feel.
17. If you had one word to describe your biggest dream, what would it be?
18. How does your favorite outfit make you feel?
19. If you were giving a meaningful gift to someone, how would you want it to make them feel?
20. Describe how laughter makes you feel.

Hot Takes

Create some fun rivalry between attendees and see which hot takes people choose to back.

1. Hot Take: Guacamole is actually a Salsa.
2. Hot Take: A hot dog is a sandwich.
3. Hot Take: A ravioli is a wet pop-tart.
4. Hot Take: Everything can be classified into either a sandwich or a salad.
5. Hot Take: The Bachelor is the best reality TV show.
6. Hot Take: Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day.
7. Hot Take: Shaking hands is actually unsanitary.
8. Hot Take: Nicolas Cage is a great actor.
9. Hot Take: Cold showers are better than hot showers.
10. Hot Take: Cooking for one is harder than cooking for four.
11. If ingredients fall out of one taco onto another tortilla shell, is it a new taco?
12. Is being a morning person better than being a night owl?
13. Is it better to be polite or to tell the truth?
14. Is working out better in the morning or at night?
15. Do Hershey’s kisses taste better than a Hershey’s plain chocolate bar?
16. Can people truly change?
17. Are your twenties really the best years of your life?
18. Does being rich mean you’re successful?
19. Are being kind and being nice two different things?
20. Are McDonald’s flurries better than Wendy’s frosties?

We hope these questions help get you out of your rut! Remember- the best icebreakers are the ones that open the floor to the most genuine conversation. So, get to know your audience and their needs, and don’t be afraid to tweak these, or even create your own prompts to get to the heart of it all. If you’re interested in learning more about Cadence and how we work to create the most authentic connections for people, request a demo here and talk to our team!