Networking Game for CPA Chapter Events
How Do You Get Accountants Networking at Your CPA Chapter Events?
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. Jam Bingo sends each member conversation prompts like 'Find someone who works in a different area of accounting than you and ask what a typical week looks like.' After the conversation, they scan each other's QR codes to unlock the next prompt.
Key takeaways
- ✓The main obstacles are firm cliques, small talk fatigue, and new members on the edges.
- ✓What works: structure accountants appreciate, mixes firms and sectors, and built for busy schedules.
- ✓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 chapter networking nights, CPD seminars, post-busy-season socials, new member welcomes, and annual accounting conferences.
Most CPA chapter networking nights follow the same pattern: members arrive, grab a drink, find the two colleagues from their firm, and leave an hour later without meeting anyone new. New members and newly designated CPAs stand on the edges, and the chapter's biggest benefit — the network — never gets built.
You run events for a CPA or accounting association chapter.
Your networking nights and CPD seminars are well attended, but members mostly talk to people they already know.
Many of your members are more comfortable with spreadsheets than small talk.
You want new members and newly designated CPAs to feel welcome — and come back.
You'd like members from public practice, industry, and government to actually meet each other.
You need something that takes minutes to set up and doesn't feel like a corporate team-building exercise.
How to Run It: Networking Game for CPA Chapter Events
A practical guide to networking game for cpa chapter events: when to run it, how long it takes, how to write good prompts, and what guests will ask.
- 01
Jam Bingo is a simple, interactive networking activity that helps people meet and have conversations with others they may not know.
- 1
Scan to join
Attendees scan the event’s Jam Bingo QR code (or enter the game code). It runs in the phone’s browser—nothing to download. - 2
Get a conversation prompt
Each person receives a conversation prompt on their phone, like a question to ask someone new. - 3
Find someone and talk
They find someone who fits the prompt, have the conversation, then scan that person’s QR code (or enter their code) to unlock the next prompt. - 4
Repeat and connect
Every connection is saved, and the leaderboard shows who met the most new people—perfect for prizes.
- 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 5 people each
Kick-off
5 min
Playing (5 prompts)
15–25 min
Wrap-up
5 min
Total
25–35 min
Kick-off Playing Wrap-upFor your group size (50—500 attendees): give everyone 1–2 minutes to scan in. Put the QR code on the main screen and at the registration table.
- 03
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 cpa & accounting association chapter leaders, member engagement staff, and event volunteers:
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 — 5 in your plan. Write 10–15 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 networking game for cpa chapter events
- 💬Find someone who works in a different area of accounting than you and ask them what a typical week looks like.
- 💬Find someone who survived this year's busy season and ask them how they're celebrating.
- 💬Find someone who earned their designation in the last two years and ask them what surprised them most.
- 💬Find someone who moved from public practice into industry (or the other way around) and ask them why they switched.
- 💬Find someone who has a hobby that has nothing to do with numbers and ask them how they got into it.
Need a starting point? Browse ready-made prompt templates for different kinds of events and adapt them to your group.
- 04
Before the event: checklist
- ✓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
Put the QR code on the main screen and at the registration table. 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!
- 05
Run of show (about 35 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 1–2 minutes. - 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 18 — Halfway update
Give a quick time check and remind people to meet someone they haven't talked to yet. - 5
Minute 30 — Final call
Let everyone know they have five minutes left to unlock their last prompt. - 6
Minute 35 — 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.
- 06
- 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.
- 07
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.
- 08
Is Jam Bingo right for you?
Each person will meet and talk with 5 different people.
Starting atFreeJam 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 cpa & accounting association chapter leaders, member engagement staff, and event volunteers
- ✓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.
The simple way to get people talking!
Jam Bingo gets people having meaningful conversations and meeting as many new people as possible.
Why CPA Chapters Need a Networking Game
For most members, the network is one of the main reasons to join a CPA or accounting association chapter. But unstructured networking doesn't come naturally to everyone — especially after a full day of client work or a three-hour CPD session. A networking game gives every member a clear reason to walk up to someone new and something specific to talk about, so the room mixes without anyone being put on the spot.
Firm Cliques
Members arrive with colleagues from their firm and spend the evening together. Cross-firm and cross-sector connections — the ones members joined the chapter for — rarely happen.
Small Talk Fatigue
Many accountants find open networking draining. Without something specific to talk about, conversations stall at 'Where do you work?' and people head home early.
New Members on the Edges
Students, new members, and newly designated CPAs don't know anyone yet. If their first chapter event is lonely, many don't come to a second.
Why Jam Bingo works for CPA and accounting association chapters.
Jam Bingo sends each member conversation prompts like 'Find someone who works in a different area of accounting than you and ask what a typical week looks like.' After the conversation, they scan each other's QR codes to unlock the next prompt. There's nothing to download, and prompts can be written to stay well away from client details.
Where this works best: chapter networking nights, CPD seminars, post-busy-season socials, new member welcomes, and annual accounting conferences.
Structure Accountants Appreciate
Every member gets a clear, specific prompt instead of 'go network.' It's a system with rules and a goal — which makes networking feel less like small talk and more like a task to complete.
Mixes Firms and Sectors
Prompts send members to people in different practice areas, sectors, and career stages — public practice, industry, government, students, and retirees.
Built for Busy Schedules
Members join in seconds by scanning a QR code, and late arrivals coming straight from the office can start right away. It fits in a 20–30 minute networking block.
How to Run a Networking Game at Your Next CPA Chapter Event
- 1
Pick the networking slot
Choose 20–30 minutes before dinner, during the break at a CPD seminar, or at the start of a networking night — whenever members are standing with a drink.
- 2
Write prompts for accountants
Start from the CPA Chapter Mixer template. Mix prompts about practice areas and career paths with a few about life outside work, and avoid anything that could touch client information.
- 3
Share the QR code
Put it on the screen, registration signage, and table cards. Mention it in the event invitation so members know how they'll meet people.
- 4
Recognize the top connectors
Share the leaderboard at the end and thank the members who met the most people. Members keep a list of everyone they connected with.
Questions This Guide Answers
How to get accountants to network at chapter events?
The short version: pick the networking slot, write prompts for accountants, share the QR code, and recognize the top connectors. Choose 20–30 minutes before dinner, during the break at a CPD seminar, or at the start of a networking night — whenever members are standing with a drink. 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 activity for a CPA chapter networking night?
The approaches that work best share a few things: structure accountants appreciate, mixes firms and sectors, and built for busy schedules. Every member gets a clear, specific prompt instead of 'go network.' It's a system with rules and a goal — which makes networking feel less like small talk and more like a task to complete.
Ways to help new CPA members meet people at chapter events?
Start by designing around what usually gets in the way: firm cliques, small talk fatigue, and new members on the edges. Jam Bingo sends each member conversation prompts like 'Find someone who works in a different area of accounting than you and ask what a typical week looks like.' After the conversation, they scan each other's QR codes to unlock the next prompt.
What to do during the networking break at a CPD seminar?
Give every member a specific, low-pressure reason to talk to someone new — a conversation prompt about their work, career, or life outside the numbers — and let them pair up on their own. Jam Bingo delivers those prompts to each member's phone, so a chapter networking night runs itself. It works especially well for chapter networking nights, CPD seminars, post-busy-season socials, new member welcomes, and annual accounting conferences.
More ideas for CPA & Accounting Association Chapter Leaders, Member Engagement Staff, and Event Volunteers
Example Prompts
- Find someone who works in a different area of accounting than you and ask them what a typical week looks like.
- Find someone who survived this year's busy season and ask them how they're celebrating.
- Find someone who earned their designation in the last two years and ask them what surprised them most.
- Find someone who moved from public practice into industry (or the other way around) and ask them why they switched.
- Find someone who has a hobby that has nothing to do with numbers and ask them how they got into it.
See how other organizers did it
20 CPA Chapter Event Ideas Beyond the Usual CPD Seminar
20 CPA chapter event ideas for accounting association chapters — from post-busy-season socials and CPD lunch-and-learns to new member welcomes and firm-mixer nights — plus tips to plan events members actually attend.
Why CPA Chapter Networking Nights Feel Awkward (and Why Members Stop Coming)
Why do accountants avoid networking events? A look at why CPA chapter networking nights feel awkward — firm cliques, small talk fatigue, and lonely first events — and why members stop coming, with practical fixes for chapter leaders.
Icebreakers & Networking Games for Accountants: 10 Ideas for CPA Chapter Events
10 icebreakers and networking games for accountants and CPA chapter events — for networking nights, CPD seminar breaks, and post-busy-season socials. How each works, when to use it, and how to run networking for 30 to 300 members.
7 Networking Mistakes Introverts Make (Plus, How to Fix Them)!
Introverted and tired of awkward networking events? This guide breaks down seven common networking mistakes introverts make and shares practical, low-pressure ways to fix them so events feel more natural and less exhausting.
200 Best Professional Networking Conversation Starters & Strategies
A practical list of professional conversation starters that help break the ice at in-person events, spark real conversations, and make networking feel more natural instead of awkward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good networking game for a CPA chapter event?
One that gives every member a specific prompt and lets them pair up on their own. Jam Bingo delivers prompts to members' phones — about practice areas, career paths, and life outside work — and each conversation unlocks the next prompt.
Will accountants actually play a networking game?
Structured formats tend to work well for people who find open networking draining, because they remove the 'what do I say?' problem. Keep it short, keep the prompts professional, and have chapter leaders play first.
How do we keep conversations away from client information?
Write prompts about roles, career paths, CPD, and interests — never about specific clients, engagements, or files. The CPA Chapter Mixer template is written this way.
Can we use it during a CPD seminar?
Yes — run it during the networking break or the reception before or after the seminar, not during the accredited session itself.
Do members need to download an app?
No. Members scan a QR code with their phone camera and join with just their name.
Ways to Get People Talking, Compared
There's more than one way to solve this for chapter networking nights, CPD seminars, post-busy-season socials, new member welcomes, and annual accounting conferences. 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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