In 21st century America, opening a conversation with a unknown person is downright suspect. Making eye contact is difficult. It is best to look busy by engaging with the little screens we carry. It is easy to hide behind the impersonal walls many put up to circumvent face to face contact at inappropriate times. Nevertheless, suppose face to face contact was needed? What would be the best way to engage a stranger in a conversation? How about countless strangers within a crowd of thousands? Consider name tags?

Undertaking the simplest human relationship has grown to be quite difficult for some. We have been more connected, but less connected. It really is easier than ever to go through life avoiding actual connection with strangers and neighbors, the very people we need to engage if we are going to reach out for just about any purpose whatsoever.

During a recently unparalleled blitz against social awkwardness, Meetup.com as well as the Huffington Post decided to hand out over a half a million name tags to the masses during a recent presidential Inauguration. The name tags read Hello, My Fellow American, My Name Is… and attendees were to write in their name, where they are from and slap it on their coat to start conversations with fellow Americans.

In doing so, they turned a crowd into a community.

Everyone is far more open to approach and conversation with strangers when their name is visible, for example on name badges. Consider name tags or name badges the next time you might be networking in a large crowd of strangers. You are definite to begin conversations which may become productive and possible even profitable in the end.