So you followed some of the pointers from yesterday's post and you are prepared to network your butt off at your conference. You know what your agenda is. You are there to network and meet new people. You have clear concise business cards. You have some prepared conversation starters.
Now it's GAME TIME BABY!!!!
The first thing you need to do is:
SMILE
Your prepared you can do it. Its why you and all the rest of these people are there. Half of them are just as nervous as you
GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE
We’ve identified most likely places:
Gym for the workout folks
Café for the early birds.
Classroom for the learners
Bar for just about everyone and those in between.
PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE
DO NOT lock yourself in your room and write or sit in the back of the class or find a secluded corner of the restaurant then hide behind your friends.
They are all there for the same reason you are.
There are scheduled speeches and meals, join a table of strangers. You will be sharing a meal and the conversation will just happen. And if it doesn’t happen you already thought of some conversation starters before you got there so use them.
Oftentimes people get excited when someone starts handing out business cards in a group because they were waiting for the opportunity to do so with out being pushy.
LISTEN
This is something I have to train myself to do when I am working. In casual settings I talk constantly and forget to listen sometimes. But when I am in work mode I am all ears. Sure I offer info about myself but when someone is in my salon chair it is all about them. They are my primary focus. It makes them feel important.
When networking this is equally important. I am eager to chat about my books all day and so are they. But if you listen to them more than you talk about yourself they will remember you!
MAKE NOTES IMMEDIATELY
Write down their personal info on their business card or bookmark, whichever they gave you.
I will even do this in front of the person and tell them, "I enjoyed chatting and I don’t want to forget you when I get home because of all the cards I already have."
Be thorough with what you write. Hair color, conversation, kids names, etc.
STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
You meet the nicest people smoking.
I didn’t say take up the habit but I cant tell you how irritating it is when you are having a great chat with 2 people and they go off to smoke. You stay behind and dammit when they come back, they made plans to go somewhere else and you have no idea what they were just chatting about.
News Flash: You should have gone too.
This holds true for classes. You want to attend the Writing Craft class and the nice lady you are chatting with is going to the How to Write Sex class.
Well what are you waiting for?
You can take an online class anytime!
Go with her. Solidify the bond.
Somebody wants to go sit in some piano bar and you don’t like bars or pianos but you think you’re making a great connection, suck it up and go!
This is doing something out of your comfort zone. And you should strive to do this at least THREE TIMES every day.
Only by constantly putting yourself out there will you make that one or two great connections. You will be so proud of yourself when it is all said and done.
But you're not done yet! There is a lot to do when you get home! Stop by tomorrow and find out what!
Deanna
'Spicing up your love life one naughty read at a time'
