Do you remember the first networking event you attended? It seemed innocent enough at first. You walk in and use the bathroom, re-touch your make up. That killed about 5 minutes. You walk out into the crowded room with a look like a deer in headlights, but then you spot the wine and cheese. Excellent! You help yourself to a plate of cheese (and you know it was a full plate of just cheese) and ask the waiter for a glass of Pinot Noir. You're feeling good. These networking events are great! What a nice cheese selection! Now you look back to the crowd and what to do? Here are some tips.
1. Don't be scared or shy. Everyone is there for the same reasons as you. They want to meet you and learn about what your work is like and how you can potentially collaborate. Scope out the room and find a single person or group of 3 that you can introduce yourself to. I would avoid approaching two individuals talking as you might be interrupting, but a group of three allows you to eventually break off into pairs.
2. Worried about an opening line? Again, remember you're all there for the same reason. A simple, "Hi, My name is ____ and I'm new to this event" will suffice. Make sure you know your elevator pitch, though. That's the next thing that inevitably your new networking acquaintance will ask.
3. Don't get stuck. If you find the conversation feels forced or it's not going in the direction you want, excuse yourself and start fresh with someone else. The whole point of networking events is to meet people who have some connection to your business and can be a good partner or ally in the future.
4. Always have business cards on hand and in convenient reach. Oh, but you have a glass of wine in one hand and a plate of cheese in another! Mistake! Keep it to either a glass of wine or a plate of cheese, but not both. Always make sure your right hand is free so you can shake someone's hand and grab your business cards. A lady should keep her business cards in an outside pocket of her purse or an inside pocket like the ones that fit your cell phone for easy access.
5. Follow up with the people you met. I suggest following up the next day with an email. Also put a reminder in your calendar to follow up with this person in a few weeks and suggest to meet up so that you maintain the relationship. It was hard enough networking in the first place, so don't lose the valuable connections you made.
I hope these tips help next time your at a networking event!
written with love,
Leslie
photo from wecannetwork
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