A few weeks ago, I was invited to a North Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce happy hour event. My friend Holly Jordano, who’s a board member, asked if I would give a quick presentation on how to network. Nervously, I said, “Sure.”
I grabbed the mic and quickly thought about my own networking process, what I do that’s effective and what I do that leaves me standing in a corner, alone.
Here are my tips:
Smile
Remember that you’re more approachable when you’re smiling. Even if you had a horrible day, smile; not only will smiling make you feel happier, but you’ll find yourself talking to so many people about all sorts of topics that you’ll quickly forget about your bad day.
Limit your drinking
I know alcohol is a great social lubricant, but keep in mind that people can smell it on your breath and it can be a bit of a turn off – take it from the person who’s always sober at networkers. If you must drink, control your intake. You don’t want to go overboard and start slurring when you speak.
Dare yourself to meet new people
This can be a bit intimidating at first, but a great approach is to find a circle of people who are talking and walk up to them. Once they see you, they will open up a space for you and as soon as their current conversation ends, they will all look at you for your introduction. Just like you want to meet them, they want to meet you, so say hi and what you do.
Listen and ask questions
When speaking with someone, listen to what they’re talking about. If they’re in an industry you know nothing about, that’s perfect. Don’t be afraid of admitting that you know nothing about their work. Ask them questions – people love talking about themselves and what they do, so this is a great conversation starter. If the person is an industry that you know, ask questions about specific facets about what they do. If you have an opinion about something in their industry, share it.
Carry business cards
Always make sure to be stocked up and remember to take a business card from the people you meet. If you don’t have any, go to Office Depot and have some simple ones made: just your name, phone number and email address.
Follow up
Make sure to follow up with everyone you’ve met within 24 hours. I usually look them up on LinkedIn and send them a message saying “Great meeting you at XXX.” Make sure to let them know where you met – everyone’s memories are different.
Happy networking!
[...] How to Network [...]