101 tips on networking. How to make valuable connections with people

13

Prepare a few questions to develop conversations

Think in advance about what you can ask someone when you meet them. For example, ask his opinion about a high-profile event that’s in the news. Or discuss how to improve something. Look at the latest news, scroll through the latest press releases or specialized sites on the Internet. Talk about something that you think is of interest to your conversation partner.

14

Prepare a mini-presentation about yourself

Work out a succinct, yet interesting way to present yourself. Try to make your self-introduction original and catchy. Add to it an interesting fact about yourself or your company to intrigue your conversation partner.

A director of a diamond disc plant could introduce himself as follows: Greetings! My name is Igor Stavkin, and I run a company that produces the hardest product on earth.

Rehearse the text so that it sounds spontaneous, and so that you don’t forget how it goes. Come up with two or three different versions of this self-introduction. You don’t want to sound like a parrot, repeating the same thing to each newcomer.

15

Make a personalized name tag

When you register, don’t expect the organizers to issue a name tag that you actually like. It’s be nice if your name was on it, along with what you’re all about. But this doesn’t happen very often. To be sure of the outcome, make your own name tag ahead of time. Make it two-sided. Then, if it turns over, the information on it is still readable. Wear your name tag along with the one you get at registration, or instead of it. This way, everyone will know your name and what you do.

16

Follow the dress code

When you go to an event, dress for the occasion, or follow any dress code that applies. If it’s an IT firm, then jeans and a sweater are just fine. But you don’t want to alienate your partners at the business club, so wear something more conservative there.

17

Contact whoever you want to meet the day before

You can call, send an email or message him or her via a social network. When the connection is already established in absentia, your first in-person introduction and conversation will take place in a more favorable environment. The person you’re connecting with will feel sort of like you already know each other. Even if you don’t get a response to your message, then when you meet, you can mention it – this can serve as the catalyst for a conversation.

18

Use «+1” if you can

If you have an extra ticket or an invitation to an interesting event, use it to strengthen your network. Take someone you want to maintain a relationship with along.

19

Arrive at the event before it starts

That way, you can use the extra time to establish new contacts and meet new arrivals. By getting there earlier, you acquire a kind of “host” status. The people who show up later will start seeing you this way. You will find that you’re the center of attention, and people will turn to you for information and advice. And you’ll have no problem answering questions and making new acquaintances.

20

Join the group behind the event in social networks

That way, you can start communicating with the participants even before the the event, and then continue communicating with them afterwards. Look through the list of guests, decide ahead of time which of them are of interest to you, and who you’d like to meet. Place a post in the community with information about yourself and an invitation to connect at the event.

III. WHAT TO DO DURING AN EVENT

21

Go about on your own

If you bring a colleague or a friend to the event, don’t spend all your time with him or her. Otherwise, you’ll deprive each other of the opportunity to connect with new acquaintances. So split up – at least for a while. At a conference or convention, attend panels and sections in the program. At an exhibition, take different tours. At a coffee break or dinner, sit at different tables. This way, you’ll double the number of contacts between the two of you.

22

Sit in the first row

The first row is the most advantageous for acquiring information and for networking. As a rule, the first row is where the experts, invited guests, and organizers sit. This is where you have an opportunity to establish useful contacts. Most of the time, photos of the event focus on the first row. Later on, you can identify yourself in the pictures on social networks, making it easier to network. The seats at the end of the row provide additional advantages. If you get up and ask the speaker a question, the entire audience will turn to look at you. After all, the audience won’t even have to turn around to see you.

23

When asking a question, don’t forget to introduce yourself

An easy way to introduce yourself to the whole hall or to your group is to ask the speaker a question. Before you ask the question, state your name so that everyone hears it. And say what you can offer other people. This is an easy way to introduce yourself to everyone there. Prepare your short presentation in advance. Speak slowly. Do not swallow and do not shoot your words out. For you, it’s important that everyone in the room learn your name and what you can do for them. The question, of course, is also important. But the opportunity to acquaint yourself with everyone there all at once is more valuable than the answer.