6 Random Networking Tips
rkelley
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5 min read
Making connections is an important aspect of business and often crucial to being successful. Whether you're schmoozing it up at a conference or making the rounds at an industry event, meeting and greeting people is definitely important. I thought I'd share 6 random networking tips to help increase your number of contacts and hopefully create lasting connections.
- Use normal-sized business cards. Standard business cards are 3.5 x 2 in. While I think it's fine to use shorter than 3.5 inches (I've collected the occasional business card that's shaped like a stick of gum), I wouldn't go higher than that or wider than 2 inches. The reason for this is because bulky, odd-shaped business cards don't fit well in people's pockets or card holders. Every once in a while I'll receive some stupid huge business card that doesn't fit in my business card holder, so I end up having to awkwardly fold it or jam it into my card holder to fit or I just throw it away out of irritation. Guess which one I end up doing?
- Arrive late or stay until the end of events. This tip came from my employer and friend Jon Kelly, founder of Sure Hits and, most recently, This or That. He told me that when he first went to search conferences, he would show up towards the end of different mixers and parties because most of the people he'd most want to meet would be the ones sticking around until the end. A lot of the big industry names and influential people love to network, and they're more likely to stay out having drinks and chatting with people, so if you either show up late to an event or stay until the end of it, you'll probably run into these people than if you show up on time and leave after a couple hours.
- Do some light stalking (but don't be creepy). One of Shoe's best posts about how to get press for your website, business, or service suggests getting as much intel as you can on a person by scoping out his or her Facebook profile, Twitter account, and LinkedIn credentials. When striking up a conversation with someone, it's much easier and fun to chat if you have a common bond. Do your homework -- if there's someone you specifically want to meet, look up that person's interests so that you'll have a nice ice breaker when your paths eventually cross. I'm more willing to want to talk to you about Dexter or The Walking Dead than Internet marketing right off the bat if we were to meet and converse over some drinks.
- Act happy and interested, duh. I've met a large number of people over the years who act sulky, bored, or like they have something better to do when I try to introduce myself and get to know them. When they contact me at a later point and ask for a favor, I'm less than thrilled and am not exactly jumping out of my seat to help them out. You have to at least feign interest when you're meeting people. It kind of goes hand in hand with successful networking. If you don't act happy and interested when you're talking to someone, it's going to show in your body language and demeanor, and later when you call upon that person to help you out in some way, you may have blown your chances simply because you were acting too good to talk to him/her a few months back. Be polite, smile, ask questions, nod your head, give firm handshakes -- even if you're bored out of your skull, you can suck it up and endure a few minutes of idle chatter because you never know if the boring dude you're talking to will end up being someone you need to contact in the future.
- Send out unique follow up emails/social networking requests. When you follow up after an event, include a personal message. Don't just send out a generic Facebook or LinkedIn request; customize the message that accompanies the request so that the person you're reaching out to remembers you. When sending an email, include information about how/where you met and throw in a joke or reference from your conversation to show the person that you remember him/her. I'm more likely to recall follow up correspondence that includes personal details from our encounter (and maybe even kisses my butt a bit) than generic "It was nice meeting you at and I hope our paths cross again soon" messages.
- Don't badger for favors. If you do meet someone and ask that person for a favor, don't be pushy about it. Oftentimes people will make an empty promise or will say something they'll forget when they've been drinking or have been up all night chatting with hundreds of different people. If someone says they'll maybe hook you up with something, do a follow up about the favor but don't badger the person. If you act like a leech about something that a person said s/he would maybe possibly perhaps look into doing for you, the more you bug that person, the more annoying you are and the less that person will want to help you out.