How to Network Like a Pro at Your Next Event
In 2010, you will likely attend one or more conferences. You may not know anyone at the conference. Sounds daunting doesn’t it?
Eric Pruitt is a lawyer I coached from Birmingham. When I first met Eric he told me he would be attending an industry conference and asked if I had any ideas for him. I gave him some and told him to read chapters from Keith Ferrazzi’s book: Never Eat Alone. Eric did and it changed how he approached industry conferences. Here are some of Eric’s thoughts that he recently shared with me.
Keith Farrazzi has 15 Tip for Being a Conference Commando. Some of it sounds over the top, or "dorky", however, I decided to look at his tips with an open mind and see how I could apply his concepts as a lawyer. I found some great ideas. Here are a few of the things I've started doing:
- Develop a plan. Work to identify people you want to meet, schedule lunches/dinners/drinks/ etc. . . before the meeting. I'm attending the CMSA Annual Meeting in NY next month and have worked to schedule these events in advance and am working on identifying the "celebrity status" (people of importance in the organization - not real celebs) that I want to meet while I'm there.
- Work on building relationships with people, not seeing how many people I can meet and give a business card to. Focus on the person I'm talking to, don't let my eyes wander and attempt to find the next target.
- Take notes on the people I meet and follow up quickly with a hand written note. Use the notes so I can make a personal connection in my follow up correspondence.
- Have a "what can I do for this person" attitude instead of "how can I do legal work for this person". Helping others is a great way to build a network.
- If it is an industry organization that you want to become more involved in, find a non-threatening way to volunteer for tasks at the meeting. This can provide opportunities to find out about special invitation events, get to know leaders, etc. . .
These are just some quick comments. The book is packed with great insight.
What can you learn from Eric's ideas and actually use at the next event you attend?
Eric,
I have Keith Ferrazi's book, "Never Eat Alone." I plan to read it in the near future. Right now I am reading his other book "Whose Got You Back." He wrote that after he wrote "Never Eat Alone." My reaction to Keith Ferrazi is similar to yours. I think he has some good ideas about developing lifeline relationships. However, I don't think his approach is practical for the work place, or for interacting with people one has just met. Also, I think he could condense much of what he is trying to convey.
I'd like to make another recommendation. You may want to read Bob Burg's book entitled "Endless Referrals." His book is a very practical guide. It gives specific to the point suggestions on how to work any crowd, including how to approach and meet people you're interested in meeting at networking events and conferences. I have found it very helpful. Thus far, Burg's book is the best I've read on the subject. Even better, you could probably finish his book in an afternoon.
I hope that helps.
Best, Randi