Ice Breakers for Networking Events: Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
How Do You Help Guests Meet Businesses Beyond Their Own Table at an Awards Night?
Guests come to celebrate local businesses, but they only meet their own table. Nominees don't learn about each other, and sponsors spend the night waving from across the room.
Key takeaways (6)
- ✓The main obstacles are table teams, nominees don't meet, and sponsors unseen.
- ✓What works: a reason to walk up, real conversations, and contacts saved.
- ✓Run it once everyone has arrived and before the meal, during open networking time — not during talks.
- ✓Plan about 3–5 minutes per conversation: roughly 25–35 minutes for five conversations each.
- ✓Mix easy, observable prompts with a few questions and challenges, and write two to three times as many prompts as conversations.
- ✓Works well for chamber business awards, small business of the year galas, and community awards dinners.
The Chamber Business Awards brings together nominees and their teams, long-time members, new members, sponsors, and local leaders.
Each nominee's team sits at its own table, and guests only cheer for the business they came with.
A light, open game during the reception gets nominees, members, and sponsors mixing before the awards start.
How?
Give people a simple, structured reason to start conversations with someone new — short conversation prompts they complete by meeting and talking to different people — instead of leaving it to open mingling. During the reception, guests scan a QR code and get prompts like 'Find a nominee and ask what their first year in business was like.' They talk, scan each other's codes, and unlock the next prompt.
1. during the networking session
Introduce Jam Bingo to get attendees started.
2. Attendees scan to participate
Guests open their phone camera and scan the QR Code.
3. Everyone gets a conversation starter
Each guest receives a tailored conversation starter.
4. How to unlock the next prompt
After chatting, scan the other person's QR Code to mark the connection and unlock your next prompt.
5. Contact Exchange: share socials
(Optional) Attendees can add their LinkedIn, Email, or Website.
6. Never lose track of people met
When the event ends, every player can review all their new connections in one spot.
7. Get everyone talking naturally
Attendees approach each other, ask their prompt, and talk.
How to Run It: Ice Breakers for Networking Events: Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
A practical guide to ice breakers for networking events: chamber of commerce business awards: how to set up your game and what to do on the day.
- 01
Before the event checklist:
- ✓Watch how Jam Bingo works
- ✓Create your Jam Bingo and add your prompts.
- ✓Set how many people each guest should meet.
- ✓Download the QR code and add it to your slides, table tents, or printed signs.
- ✓Test scanning the QR code from the back of the room.
- ✓Check the room has phone signal or Wi-Fi.
- ✓Brief your emcee or helpers on the announcement and timing.
- ✓Decide on prizes (and who will hand them out).
Where to display the QR code
One screen or a few printed QR codes on tables is plenty. The more places people see it, the faster everyone joins. If your event has name badges, printing the QR code on the badge or agenda works well too.
✂️ Instructions for printouts or slides - 1.Scan the QR code (or enter the game code) to open the game.
- 2.Prompts appear directly on each guest's phone screen.
- 3.Guests walk around and find someone who can answer their prompt.
- 4.Scan their QR code to unlock the next prompt.
- 5.Repeat, mingle, and have fun!
- 02
Run of show (about 60 minutes)
- 1
Minute 0 — Get everyone's attention
Read the announcement below (or have your emcee read it), with the QR code already on screen. - 2
Minutes 1–5 — Everyone scans in
Guests scan the QR code and type their name. For your group size, allow about 1 minute. - 3
First prompts — People start moving
Walk the room and nudge anyone standing still: “What's your prompt? Let's find someone for it.” - 4
Around minute 30 — Halfway update
Give a quick time check and remind people to meet someone they haven't talked to yet. - 5
Minute 55 — Final call
Let everyone know they have five minutes left to unlock their last prompt. - 6
Minute 60 — Wrap up
Share the leaderboard, hand out prizes, and thank everyone for playing.
📣 What to say when you start “We're about to start Jam Bingo, a networking activity designed to help you meet and get to know each other. Scan the QR code on the screen to join. You'll receive a prompt on your phone, and your goal is to find someone who can answer it. Once you've had a conversation, scan their QR code to unlock your next prompt. Keep moving around, meet new people, and have fun!”
While it's running
- ✓Join in yourself — guests follow the host's energy.
- ✓Look for people standing alone and introduce them to someone.
- ✓If someone's camera won't scan, show them how to type in the other person's code instead.
- ✓If someone is stuck on a prompt, remind them a Skip button appears after about a minute.
The simple way to get people talking!
Jam Bingo gets people having meaningful conversations and meeting as many new people as possible.
Make It a Success
How to write good prompts, how long to run the game, how to wrap up, and what guests (and your team) will ask.
- 01
Prompts are what make the game work. A good prompt gives someone a reason to walk up to a stranger — and something to talk about once they do. Mix a few different types for chambers of commerce, awards committees & event sponsors:
Types of prompts
Questions
The easiest way in. The player asks one question and listens.
“Ask someone what three words their friends would use to describe them.”
Find someone who…
Sends people across the room looking for a match — great for mixing groups.
“Find someone who has lived in more than two cities.”
Observation prompts
Zero pressure: the player can spot the right person before saying a word.
“Find someone wearing something blue and ask about their favorite weekend activity.”
Challenges
Quick, playful actions that get laughs and lift the energy in the room.
“Challenge someone to a quick game of rock, paper, scissors.”
Deeper questions
Lead to real stories — use a few once people have warmed up.
“Ask someone about a decision that changed the direction of their career.”
Event-specific prompts
Tie the game to why people are there, so the conversations are actually useful.
“Find someone from a different team and ask what they're working on this month.”
A good mix
Aim for roughly 40% easy prompts (observation and “find someone who…”), 40% questions, and 20% challenges and deeper prompts. Easy prompts get people moving; the deeper ones lead to the conversations people remember.
How many prompts to write
Each guest gets one prompt per person they meet — 10 in your plan. Write 20–30 prompts in total: every player gets them in a different, shuffled order, so a bigger list means more variety and fewer people looking for the same conversation at once.
Do
- ✓Start with easy, observable prompts, then build up to deeper ones.
- ✓Make every prompt about another person, so it always leads to a conversation.
- ✓Keep prompts short enough to read at a glance on a phone.
- ✓Write prompts almost everyone can complete — no one should feel left out.
Don't
- ✕Avoid yes/no prompts that end the conversation in one word.
- ✕Avoid inside jokes that only one group will understand.
Example prompts for ice breakers for networking events: chamber of commerce business awards
- 💬Ask someone how they got involved with the chamber
- 💬Ask a nominee what they'll do to celebrate if they win
- 💬Ask someone about a local business that helped them this year
- 💬Ask someone which category they'd love to win someday
- 💬Ask a nominee about a moment they almost gave up and what kept them going
- 💬Challenge someone to name three businesses they think should be nominated next year
Get all 26 Chamber Business Awards prompts — sorted into sets for 10–15, 25–35, and 40–60 minute sessions. Add a whole set to your game in one click.
Need a starting point? Browse ready-made prompt templates for different kinds of events and adapt them to your group.
- 02
When to run it
Once everyone has arrived
Start 15–30 minutes into the networking block. If networking begins at 10:00 AM, kick off at 10:30 AM — latecomers have arrived and people haven't settled into their usual groups yet.
Before the meal, not after
Run it before people eat. Eating speeds vary, and running it after a meal makes slower eaters feel rushed or left out. If it has to be after, announce clear timings in advance.
After drinks are in hand
Let guests grab a drink when they arrive, then gather everyone's attention right before you start.
Not during talks
Keep it to open networking time. People can't mingle while they're expected to listen to a speaker.
How long to run it
Plan about 3–5 minutes per conversation. Each prompt is one conversation, so the length of the game depends on how many people you want each guest to meet.
For 10 people each
Kick-off
5 min
Playing (10 prompts)
30–50 min
Wrap-up
5 min
Total
40–60 min
Kick-off Playing Wrap-upFor your group size (50 attendees): give everyone about 1 minute to scan in. One screen or a few printed QR codes on tables is plenty.
- 03
- 1
Give a final call
Five minutes before the end, let everyone know it's their last chance to unlock a prompt. - 2
Share the leaderboard
Your dashboard shows who met the most new people. Put it on the screen and read out the top few. - 3
Hand out prizes at the very end
Wait until everyone has finished, so no one stops mingling early. Swag, gift cards, or a small gift all work well. - 4
Encourage follow-up
Remind everyone that each connection is saved on their phone, and that they can share their socials with the people they met.
- 04
Common questions guests (and your team) will ask
Do guests need to download an app?
No. Guests scan the QR code with their phone camera and it opens in the browser. They type their name and start playing.
What if someone's camera won't scan a QR code?
Every player has a short code. Guests can type in the other person's code instead of scanning it.
What if a guest gets a prompt they can't complete?
After about a minute on a prompt, a Skip button appears so they can move on to a different one.
Does everyone get the same prompts?
No. Each player gets the prompts in a different, shuffled order, so people are looking for different conversations at the same time.
What if someone doesn't have a phone?
Pair them with a friend or a colleague to play as a team. They'll still meet everyone their partner meets.
How do I know who won?
Your dashboard has a leaderboard showing who met the most new people. Share it at the end and reward the top connectors.
What happens to the connections afterwards?
Each player keeps a list of the people they met and the prompts they talked about, and can share their socials with them.
What should people do if they finish early?
Encourage them to keep mingling and help others complete their prompts — early finishers are great at pulling quieter guests into conversations.
Is Jam Bingo right for you?
Each person will meet and talk with 10 different people.
Starting at$200Jam Bingo is a simple, non-structured networking activity designed to get people talking organically. Rather than forced icebreakers, it delivers gamified prompts to participants' phones that encourage lighthearted interactions across large groups without feeling awkward or artificial.
Getting approval from your chambers of commerce, awards committees & event sponsors
- ✓Run the Jam Bingo Demo with your team so they see it first-hand.
- ✓Share the pricing and the plan from this guide.
- ✓Once approved, create a Jam Bingo and customize it with your own prompts.
Awards Nights Are About the Whole Business Community
Every nominee has a story. Guests leave inspired when they hear those stories in person, not just from the stage. Most people come to network but wait for someone else to start.
Table Teams
Each nominee's team stays at its own table.
Nominees Don't Meet
Finalists never learn about the other businesses.
Sponsors Unseen
Sponsors get a logo on the screen and little else.
Why a game makes networking easier at a business awards night.
During the reception, guests scan a QR code and get prompts like 'Find a nominee and ask what their first year in business was like.' They talk, scan each other's codes, and unlock the next prompt.
Where this works best: chamber business awards, small business of the year galas, and community awards dinners.
A Reason to Walk Up
The prompt is the opening line. No awkward 'so, what do you do?'
Real Conversations
Prompts lead to stories, not just job titles.
Contacts Saved
Every match is saved, so following up is easy.
Ice Breakers for Networking Events: How to Run It at Chamber Business Awards
- 1
Write your prompts
Add prompts about nominees, business milestones, sponsors, and favorite local spots.
- 2
Create the game
Add your prompts to Jam Bingo. Mix career prompts with fun ones.
- 3
Open networking
Show the QR code at check-in and on each table when networking time starts.
- 4
Play before the awards
Run it during the cocktail reception and stop when the program starts.
Questions This Guide Answers
How to get people networking at a business awards night?
The short version: write your prompts, create the game, open networking, and play before the awards. Add prompts about nominees, business milestones, sponsors, and favorite local spots. The step-by-step guide on this page covers each part in detail — including when to run it, how long it takes, and how to write good prompts.
Best networking activities for a business awards night?
The approaches that work best share a few things: a reason to walk up, real conversations, and contacts saved. The prompt is the opening line.
Ways to help guests network at a business awards night?
Start by designing around what usually gets in the way: table teams, nominees don't meet, and sponsors unseen. During the reception, guests scan a QR code and get prompts like 'Find a nominee and ask what their first year in business was like.' They talk, scan each other's codes, and unlock the next prompt.
Chamber Business Awards Prompts for Your Networking Time
Best for 40–60 MinutesConversation Starters
20 prompts+
Conversation Starters
20 prompts. Ask-and-challenge prompts for longer conversations people remember.
Best for 10–15 MinutesQuick and Light
6 prompts+
Quick and Light
6 prompts. Fast, light-hearted prompts. People find a match, laugh, and move on.
Best for 25–35 MinutesQuestions That Get People Sharing
10 prompts+
Questions That Get People Sharing
10 prompts. Each prompt asks for a story, a tip, or an opinion.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can nominees play too?
Yes. Prompts that send guests to nominees give them extra recognition.
Will it distract from the awards?
No. Play during the reception and stop before the program.
Is it too playful for professionals?
No. The prompts set the tone. Use career prompts for a professional crowd.
Do guests keep the contacts?
Yes. Every match is saved.
Can late guests join?
Yes. They scan and join anytime.
Ways to Get People Talking, Compared
There's more than one way to solve this for chamber business awards, small business of the year galas, and community awards dinners. Here's how the common approaches compare.
| Approach | Setup effort | Group size | Gets people mixing | How it feels for guests | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open mingling (no structure)Put people in a room with food and drinks and let conversations happen. | None | Any size | Low — most people stay with who they already know | Easy for outgoing people, hard for quieter guests | Cliques form within minutes, and newcomers end up on the edges. |
| “Ask me about” name tagsGuests write one topic on their name tag as a ready-made conversation starter. | Low — markers and name tags | Any size | Medium — gives people an opener, but no reason to move around | Natural and low-pressure | Easy to ignore; it only works if people read badges and act on them. |
| Paper human bingoA printed grid of “find someone who…” squares that guests fill in with names. | Medium — design, print, and hand out cards and pens | Best up to about 100 people | Medium to high — people have to approach others | Fun, but can turn into a quick signature hunt | People rush to fill squares instead of talking, and printing takes time. |
| Speed networkingTimed one-on-one conversations; people rotate to a new partner every few minutes. | Medium to high — seating plan, timer, and someone running it | Best up to about 60 per round | High — everyone is guaranteed several new conversations | Can feel forced or interview-like | Rigid and needs strong facilitation; feels out of place at relaxed social events. |
| Table topics / roundtablesEach table gets a discussion topic, and people join the one that interests them. | Low to medium — topic cards or table signs | Any size (in tables of 6–10) | Medium — great conversations within a table, little across tables unless you rotate | Natural, especially for professional audiences | People settle at one table for the whole session. |
| Jam BingoPhone-based conversation prompts (e.g. Jam Bingo)Guests scan a QR code and get conversation prompts on their phone; meeting someone unlocks the next prompt. | Low — write prompts and display a QR code | Any group size | High — each prompt sends people to someone new | Natural — the prompt gives everyone a reason to start talking | Needs guests to have a phone and signal (pair anyone without one with a buddy). |
Open mingling (no structure)
Put people in a room with food and drinks and let conversations happen.
- Setup effort
- None
- Group size
- Any size
- Gets people mixing
- Low — most people stay with who they already know
- How it feels for guests
- Easy for outgoing people, hard for quieter guests
- Watch out for
- Cliques form within minutes, and newcomers end up on the edges.
“Ask me about” name tags
Guests write one topic on their name tag as a ready-made conversation starter.
- Setup effort
- Low — markers and name tags
- Group size
- Any size
- Gets people mixing
- Medium — gives people an opener, but no reason to move around
- How it feels for guests
- Natural and low-pressure
- Watch out for
- Easy to ignore; it only works if people read badges and act on them.
Paper human bingo
A printed grid of “find someone who…” squares that guests fill in with names.
- Setup effort
- Medium — design, print, and hand out cards and pens
- Group size
- Best up to about 100 people
- Gets people mixing
- Medium to high — people have to approach others
- How it feels for guests
- Fun, but can turn into a quick signature hunt
- Watch out for
- People rush to fill squares instead of talking, and printing takes time.
Speed networking
Timed one-on-one conversations; people rotate to a new partner every few minutes.
- Setup effort
- Medium to high — seating plan, timer, and someone running it
- Group size
- Best up to about 60 per round
- Gets people mixing
- High — everyone is guaranteed several new conversations
- How it feels for guests
- Can feel forced or interview-like
- Watch out for
- Rigid and needs strong facilitation; feels out of place at relaxed social events.
Table topics / roundtables
Each table gets a discussion topic, and people join the one that interests them.
- Setup effort
- Low to medium — topic cards or table signs
- Group size
- Any size (in tables of 6–10)
- Gets people mixing
- Medium — great conversations within a table, little across tables unless you rotate
- How it feels for guests
- Natural, especially for professional audiences
- Watch out for
- People settle at one table for the whole session.
Phone-based conversation prompts (e.g. Jam Bingo)
Guests scan a QR code and get conversation prompts on their phone; meeting someone unlocks the next prompt.
- Setup effort
- Low — write prompts and display a QR code
- Group size
- Any group size
- Gets people mixing
- High — each prompt sends people to someone new
- How it feels for guests
- Natural — the prompt gives everyone a reason to start talking
- Watch out for
- Needs guests to have a phone and signal (pair anyone without one with a buddy).
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