Went to a great event last week organized by Andrew Meringoff at the Washington DC Connections LinkedIn Group. No matter how emailed, Web 2ed, blogged and phoned we get, face to face still does a lot of my work. I’ve been thinking about what I learned at the event, tried a number of writing approaches, and as my deadline went by what came out is my Networking Checklist.
Attitude Check –Networking is helping someone - Tom Peters
Time Check – Most golf matches are won before the first tee or after the eighteenth – Bill Van Dyke. I come early and leave late.
Name Tag - Bring your own. Make it work for you.
Purpose – Why am I going? What do I want to accomplish? “20 meetings a month” is my start, add to that.
So many targets, so little time! – I want to acknowledge everyone I already know as my first order of business. After that, I concentrate on having a complete conversation with each person I meet, resulting in a recommendation or commitment to action. That is usually more than twenty people per hour, and I have helped some people, met people, and I’m tired. What more should I want?
Offer – What am I offering? I rarely start a relationship and then close a transaction at a first meeting. This is the information age. I think a public group meeting is for establishing initial interest. An interesting handout centers the discussion and enables further inquiry. Explaining a handout usually creates a line of people listening and waiting to talk with me.
Of course, I also enjoy being the featured speaker whenever I can arrange that.
Positioning – I don’t move much. Once, a new acquaintance told me she was trying to get over to meet me and I disappeared. Other people are navigating their way through the group.
What is your guidance for open meeting networking?
Posts
Dick,
ReplyDeleteI think your post reinforces the notion that Peters puts forth when he suggests that the proper networking mindset is: I do this to be of service to others.
Thank you for being a living example for the rest of us as to what it is really all about!
Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Now that's a CHRISTMAS PRESENT!
ReplyDeleteWow!
Makes me believe in Jimmy Stewart and Clarence the Apprentice Angel!
Thank you, John
My main guidance for open networking is always be yourself and be honest. Enter the event with an open mind and listen to what everyone has to say. In the end you will most always walk away learning something new.
ReplyDeleteI was under the impression that that Meringoff guy was a total sham game. Isn't he the one who has $20 events with "complimentary hors d' oeuvres"? One of my friends went to a few of those and didn't speak highly of them.
ReplyDeleteHi Timothy!
ReplyDeleteI have met Andrew a couple of times. He wants to put people together, figuring transactions will happen. I appreciate what he is doing. He has a strong sense it should be done and if nobody else is willing to step up, he will.
I have also seen that he is actively looking for better ways to do this.
I know several people trying to do the same thing and I appreciate them all creating a place for me to transact business.
You can help with your time or ideas. Believe me, nobody is making money or even covering their expenses doing this.