Common Sense Tips & Tricks on How to Work Your Next Networking Event
I believe a lot of people go to conventions and conferences feeling nervous when it comes to the networking opportunities. The opening reception can feel awkward if you don’t know anyone there. “If I just had a chance to talk to potential clients, thought leaders, and the important people in my industry.” You notice that some people have the unbelievable ability to talk to everybody. You can be one of those people. You can learn how to strategically schmooze.
I was reading a great article in The Wall Street Journal, “How Davos Elites Work the Room,” by Chip Cutter and Emily Glazer. As the article begins, “For a master class in power networking, it’s tough to beat the annual World Economic Forum.” The article breaks down how the best schmoozers always have a plan for how to spend their time with their powerful contemporaries. Reading the article, it is obvious that common sense rules apply, and all of us can implement their strategies at our next event.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff advises to pay attention to your location. He positions himself at the top of the staircase at the Davos Congress Center where everyone has to walk up to get to their meetings. He stands there at least an hour each day of the meetings because he will see hundreds of people he wouldn’t see otherwise, and even if it is just to say, “Hello,” and shake hands, he reports, “The amount of serendipity that happens is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.” I believe being open, genuinely excited to greet people, and introducing yourself with an easy smile can create conversations, and who knows what new friends and opportunities you might come away with?
Benioff admits he, like all of us, many times forgets his conversation partner’s name. The Salesforce CEO says sometimes he asks if he can take a photo of the person’s badge to get their information (and name!) An executive coach, Alisa Cohn, advises just to ask for their name, “Listen, this has been a great conversation, and I’ve already forgotten your name. Can you remind me?” I believe many times the person you are talking to has forgotten your name, too, so they are grateful for the request.
Benioff says he doesn’t hesitate giving out his cellphone number and email address and asks people to text or email him. In the past I thought I had to have a deep conversation or really impress someone while at a networking event so they remember me and want to do business with me. But now I look at the opening reception, for instance, as an opportunity to meet lots of people, connect, and move on. The follow-up should be later when both parties have time and space - maybe set up a coffee date.
The CEOs at Davos said that they weren’t shy about stealth, under-the-table Googling of people they might be seated with at a dinner whom they don’t know. That allows them to make better conversation or to understand exactly what they do. The executive coach suggests when you introduce yourself, you can explain what you do, but add something that others can latch onto, for example, “I own a civil engineering company in Kansas, and I am a fantastic baker.” You can be an “avid pickleball player” or “girl dad” or… As long as it’s authentic, it’s a great way to help a conversation flow.
If you need to get out of a conversation, there are some nice ways to move on, saying “I don’t want to keep you from the other guests. I’m taking up a lot of your time. It was great talking to you.” Or, “I just saw someone in the corner that I have been trying to talk to all day. Would you excuse me, please?” But a big no-no is what Anthony Scaramucci describes as “Windexing.” He advises, “If you are chatting with someone interesting, but notice out of the corner of your eye that the Prime Minister of Britain walks into the room, you may suddenly feel the urge to move on and look past the person you are talking to, ‘like he’s a sheet of glass.’ Don’t be that person.” Scaramucci suggests you apologize for needing to end the conversation and offer to circle back if there is time.
Scaramucci also suggests that you crash every party you can. You might be turned away, or you might not, and there is great opportunity meeting people in a party you weren’t invited to - new people, new ideas, new energy.
The experts all advise to not try to do it all. If you take photographs of people’s badges, you can find them on LinkedIn and ask to connect. Remind them where you met and write what impressed you about the conversation. If you can quote a bit of what they said, all the better. Follow people you want to emulate or connect with, watch how they communicate, and jump in when you have an authentic opportunity.
One thing I have learned about networking and going into parties or receptions where I don’t know anyone is probably 80 percent of the people there are in my same shoes. So giving people an opportunity to talk about themselves is a gift. The other thing I have learned to do is introduce people to other people they should know, be a connector. I like to think, “Who can I introduce this great person I just met to so it benefits both parties?”
It can be a game of win-win-win. When you become a schmoozer expert, everyone wins.