How to Pitch an Icebreaker Tool to Your Manager or Procurement
Here's how to get a yes on an icebreaker or networking tool, with a business case and an email you can copy.
Why Managers Say No to Icebreaker Tools
Most managers don't say no to the tool. They say no to a fuzzy request.
'Can we get a fun app for the mixer?' sounds like a nice-to-have.
'Can we fix the reason people leave our events early?' sounds like a business problem.
Step 1: Name the Networking Problem Your Manager Already Feels
Start with what's going wrong today, in their words.
- People only talk to their own team at company events
- New hires don't know anyone outside their department
- Members stop renewing because they never met anyone
- Sponsors say attendees didn't visit them
- The networking hour empties out after 20 minutes
Pick one. Use a real quote from a survey or a coworker if you have one.
Step 2: Tie the Icebreaker Tool to a Goal They Report On
Your manager reports on something. Connect the tool to it.
- HR and people teams: belonging, retention, cross-team collaboration
- Sales leaders: team morale and sharing what works across regions
- Associations and chambers: member renewals and first-timer return rate
- Conference teams: sponsor value and attendee satisfaction scores
One sentence is enough: 'This helps new hires meet 10+ people outside their team in one session.'
Step 3: Show the Cost Per Attendee
A price on its own looks big. A price per person looks small.
Divide the cost by your headcount, then put it next to what you already spend per person.
- Food and drinks: often $40 to $100 per person
- Venue: often $20 to $80 per person
- Swag: often $10 to $30 per person
- An icebreaker tool: usually a few dollars per person
Then ask: if we spend this much to bring people into one room, shouldn't we make sure they meet?
Step 4: Bring Proof From a Real Event
Managers trust results from companies like theirs more than feature lists.
At L'Oréal's 130-person sales kick-off, reps met an average of 20+ new colleagues in a 45-minute networking session.
If the vendor has a case study in your industry, add it. If not, ask them for one.
Step 5: Answer the Procurement Questions Before They Ask
Procurement and IT will ask the same handful of questions. Have the answers ready.
- Who will facilitate the ice breaker activity??
- Do attendees need to download an app?
- Is the activity easy/simple for our attendees to understand?
- Who do we contact if something goes wrong on the day?
For browser-based tools like Jam Bingo, there's no app to install. Attendees scan a QR code and play in their phone's browser.
That one detail removes a lot of IT pushback.
Step 6: Ask for a Small Pilot, Not a Big Contract
A pilot is easy to say yes to. A yearly contract needs more meetings.
Ask to try the tool at one event, then bring back the numbers.
Step 7: Promise the Numbers You'll Report Back
Tell your manager what you'll measure, so the pilot has a clear finish line.
- How many attendees played
- How many new connections were made
- Average connections per person
- A few quotes from attendees
- Your post-event survey score compared to last time
Email Template to Pitch an Icebreaker Tool to Your Manager
Copy this and fill in the brackets.
Hi [Manager's name],
At our last [event], most people stayed with their own team, and the networking hour emptied out early. [Add a survey quote if you have one.]
For [upcoming event], I'd like to try [tool name], a phone-based networking game that gets people meeting across teams. At [similar company], attendees met 20+ new people in one session.
It costs [$X], about [$Y] per attendee, and there's no app to download. I'd like to run it once as a pilot and report back on how many people played and how many connections were made.
Can we chat for 10 minutes this week?
Thanks,
[Your name]
Email Template for Procurement Approval of Event Software
Hi [Procurement contact],
I'm requesting approval for [tool name] for [event] on [date]. It's a one-time purchase of [$X] for up to [number] attendees.
Attendees join in their phone's browser by scanning a QR code, so nothing is installed on company devices. It collects [name, email if enabled, connections made at the event].
I've attached the vendor's privacy policy and terms. The vendor contact is [name, email].
Please let me know if you need anything else.
Thanks,
[Your name]
One-Page Business Case for an Icebreaker Tool
- The problem: one sentence and one quote
- The goal it supports: retention, renewals, sponsor value, or collaboration
- The cost per attendee next to food and venue
- Proof: one case study from a similar event
- The ask: a one-event pilot
- What you'll report back, and when
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get my manager to approve an icebreaker tool?
Tie it to a goal they already care about (retention, cross-team work, sponsor value), show the cost per attendee, offer a small pilot, and answer the security and data questions before they ask.
What does procurement ask about event software?
Usually: what data it collects, where it's stored, whether attendees need to download an app, the total cost, whether it renews automatically, and who the vendor's contact is.
How do I justify the cost of a networking tool?
Divide the price by the number of attendees, then compare it to what you already spend per person on food, venue, and swag. Most icebreaker tools cost less per person than a coffee.
Should I run a pilot before asking for a bigger budget?
Yes. One event with real numbers (how many people played, how many connections were made) is the strongest case you can bring back.