Elevate Your Event Networking Skills

Posted: October 04, 2013

[caption id="attachment_11584" align="alignright" width="713"]image DumbLittleMan[/caption]Social media has become a great way to network and build relationships. It should never replace face-to-face socializing, networking and developing key relationships. Brush up on your in-person networking skills.

John Corcoran, an attorney, former Clinton White House Writer, and creator of SmartBusinessRevolution.com, takes us back to old-fashioned "social networking".

5 Killer “Hacks” for Networking at Events

Social media is hot. Everyone is talking about Facebook, Twitter, and every other social media site under the sun.

These are great tools for building and maintaining relationships. But they aren’t everything.

When it comes to developing powerful relationships, social media is still no substitute for old-fashioned, face-to-face networking.

In-person networking is simply one of the best activities you can engage in for your career or your business, hands down.

Anyone who thinks they can stay behind their computer, holed away at home, relying 100% on social media for meeting people and developing key relationships is fooling themselves.

In fact, the most effective networking approach today is twofold: one part online, and one part old-fashioned, face-to-face, in-person networking. They are two sides of the same coin.

A good networking plan does not rely too much on either online or offline networking, but does include aspects of both.

How Face-to-Face Networking Is Different

Face-to-face networking is very different from social networking. For starters, you’ll actually need to put on pants. Sorry, but this is a mandatory requirement. If you work from home, that means you may need to change out of your pajamas (hopefully it’s not the first time in days).

I recognize that networking at in-person events is more difficult for those who are shy or introverted. However, there are many little “hacks” you can use to make face-to-face networking easier on yourself, whether you are introverted or not.

Here are a 5 killer hacks for networking effectively at old-fashioned, in-person events:

1. Commit Yourself to Helping Others. Before you go to any networking event, I want you to summon your most positive, can-do, helpful attitude, and I want you to not even think about getting clients, customers, or a new job. For some people, this may seem completely counter-intuitive. After all, isn’t the whole point of networking to get more business or to further your career?

The truth is, if you go into an in-person networking event just thinking about yourself, people will sniff you out in a heartbeat. You’ll stand out more than Bugs Bunny dressed up as a girl.

Conversely, if you commit yourself to helping others in any way possible - be it a restaurant recommendation, or a tech tip, or a book suggestion - you will be more human and people will want to help you in return.

Here’s the “hack” part - after your event, email at least 1 or 2 people you met at the event with a tip, advice, resource, or some other way to help, based on what you learned about them. This one little step will go a long way.

2. Make An Introduction. I love introducing people. If you introduce two people and they hit it off, they will always be grateful to you. Trust me on this - my parents first met on a blind date.

Read the entire article 5 Killer “Hacks” for Networking at Events at Dumb Little Man.