You may be a smooth talker, but are you an equally smooth texter? Thinking of effective conversation starters for texting can get confusing.
When it comes to striking up a conversation or breaking the ice in person, when you both are sharing the same physical space, it’s easier to know what to say first or how to move the conversation forward. Naturally, you have body language, facial expressions, and other social cues to help you.
Texting, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game. You don’t know what the person is thinking, doing, or feeling. You have to trust your gut and take a giant leap of faith. Then, too, things can go wrong. You may get ignored, misunderstood, or completely overlooked. To make sure you’ve gotten off on the right foot, here’s what you need to know about conversation starters for texting.
What Is a Conversation Starter?
When you’re texting someone special or someone you’re interested in, you want them to get you at “hello.” This is easier said than done, but with the right conversation starter, you can be successful in the communication/texting department.
Typically, a conversation starter is a question that creates a ripple effect for more back-and-forth questions and answers, and then you have it — a great conversation. Any initial dialogue that can help spark a connection and kindle some sort of relationship is what you call a conversation starter.
Why Is It Important?
Whether you’re networking, dating, coordinating events, or working, conversation starters can prompt responses that can help you understand the person better and get to know them well.
Topical conversation starters make room for two people to bond and connect. As the conversation progresses, you find common ground, come across mutually shared interests, likes, and dislikes, and have fun.
Conversation starters are important because they can help you get past the initial awkwardness that usually comes with texting someone new or someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
Ideally, you want to start a conversation on a good and inviting note, so it turns into a pleasant, intriguing, and deep discussion. Meaningful questions, when paired with appropriate emojis and emoticons, make for the best conversation starters for texting.
Conversation Starters for Texting
Conversation starters can help bring two or more people together, organically. Simply by exchanging and sharing a few views, opinions, and experiences with each other over text messages, magic happens.
Whether you’re making a new friend or connecting with a distant one, conversation starters serve one solid purpose — they help initiate a conversation for both parties to participate in.
· Funny Conversation Starters
A little bit of humor goes a long way when texting. Funny conversation starters can make the other person feel special and comfortable. If you manage to put a smile on someone’s face or make them laugh, you’ve accomplished something worthwhile.
Why say a mundane “Hi” when you can say something cool and funny? Instead of opening your conversation with something generic, surprise the other person with a unique and original conversation starter.
Funny conversation starters are the best way to avoid small talk and one-sided chats. Share a funny incident or tell a hilarious joke to start a fun and endearing conversation. The key is to play along and share as much as possible in a lighthearted and casual manner.
Here are some examples of funny conversation starters:
#1. What is the silliest thing you’ve ever done?
#2. What’s the worst food pairing you’ve ever tried? Mine is popcorn with ketchup!
#3. What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?
#4. What kind of jokes do you like?
#5. What’s the worst joke you’ve ever heard?
#6. Make up a joke right now.
#7. What’s the weirdest dream you’ve ever had?
#8. Have you ever picked your nose in public? I have!
· First Date Conversation Starters
Planning first dates can be a stressful experience. You have butterflies in your stomach, your mind is racing with a gazillion thoughts per second, your palms are sweaty, and the worst part — you’re texting!
To plan out the best first date, you need some important information. Especially on Tinder and other dating apps, where you’re not interacting with the person face-to-face, you need to open the conversation with something witty, funny, and flirty.
Here are some examples of first date conversation starters that can help you spark that connection:
#1. What’s your ideal first date?
#2. What’s the best pickup line that’s ever been used on you?
#3. What do you like and dislike about dating?
#4. What are your views on commitment and relationships?
#5. What was your first crush like?
#6. What’s your type of girl or guy?
#7. If you were to travel on a date, where would you like to go?
#8. What’s your favorite cuisine?
· Interesting Conversation Starters
Interesting conversation starters make for engaging and alluring bonding sessions via texts. The primary goal of such conversation starters is to make sure the conversation goes deep and becomes meaningful so that you create a lasting impression.
Interesting conversation starters help you dive into the real stuff, stuff that really matters. Such conversation starters have the power to escalate a simple first conversation to a forever friendship.
Here are some examples of interesting conversation starters that can help both of you open up to each other on newer and deeper levels:
#1. If there was something you’d like to change about yourself, what would that be?
#2. Would you call yourself a career-oriented person?
#3. What kind of music moves you?
#4. What is your all-time favorite movie and why?
#5. What’s your worst habit?
#6. What’s your favorite time of the day and why?
#7. What do you enjoy doing the most in your free time?
#8. Which books have impacted your life the most?
A Few Parting Words
The thing is, most people enjoy talking about themselves, and conversation starters give them the chance and space to do exactly that. If you want to pave the way for meaningful conversation, choose your conversation starters carefully and with mindfulness.
There are plenty of conversation starters for texting on the internet, but the best ones are those that you try and test for yourself. Once you’ve put yourself out there with a question, sit back, and be a good listener. This is the only way that great conversation starters can work their charm.
