75 Tips for Better Networking at Events
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75 Tips for Better Event Networking @davedelaney
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Planning to attend an event, mixer, trade show, or conference soon? Make the most of the opportunity to meet new people and grow your business by network. The following are 75 tips for effective professional networking at events. Business networking at conferences will be much easier once you have reviewed these tips. Each tip is a tweet, so please share your favorite tips. Add your own tips by using the hashtag: #nbnbooktips.
Transcript of 75 Tips for Better Networking at Events
75 Tips forBetter Event Networking
@davedelaney
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
Thanks for checking out my 75 Tips for Better Event Networking.
Did you know that each tip is a link to a tweet? Click the tips you enjoy most and share them with your Twitter friends.
Be sure to say hello on Twitter and let me know what you think. Perhaps you will have a #nbnbooktips tip to share too?
@davedelaney
Are you ready to rock your next event?
@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
1. Arrive early.
2. Stand near the entrance, bar or food table. This is where people congregate.
3. Bring a buddy, but don't stick with him the whole time.
4. Practice your elevator pitch before attending. Who are you? What do you do? Why are you attending?
5. Ask people long form questions. Don't just go for the quick Yes/No answers.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
Click a tip to tweet it.
@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
6. Actively listen to their answers. Use eye contact and body language to show you are listening.
7. Ask follow up questions.
8. Address people by their names from their name tags or badges.
9. Research who is attending before you go. Who do you want to connect with?
10. Note the sponsors before you go. Say hello.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
11. Don't forget your business cards.
12. Take notes on the person’s business card about your conversation to refer to later. Can you help them?
13. Bring mints and gum.
14. Drink plenty of water.
15. Go easy on the booze.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
16. Know your goal before you attend. What is it you want to achieve?
17. Quality over quantity. Don't try to meet every attendee. Focus on meeting like-minded people.
18. Use LinkedIn's Contacts app to keep notes about the people you met and to refer to later.
19. Always ask for a business card BEFORE offering your own.
20. Look for events outside of your industry.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
21. Treat people the way you want to be treated.
22. Thank the organizers.
23. Visit the event page online to connect with attendees afterwards.
24. Always be thinking of how YOU can help the people you meet.
25. Follow up with the people you met by requesting a connection on LinkedIn.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
26. Avoid using LinkedIn's generic connection request. Write a short message to remind the person where you met.
27. Set up casual coffee informational meetings.
28. Be friendly and helpful.
29. Do your best to introduce people.
30. Like the event's Facebook page and join the group (if one exists).
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
31. Find the wallflowers and speak with them. They are probably alone because they are shy or new to the event.
32. Never come with a sales pitch (but it's good to know it should a need come up).
33. Don't be that guy with the business cards. Don't try to give and receive as many cards as possible.
34. Share what you are passionate about.
35. Avoid interrupting people or hijacking conversations.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
New Business Networking
Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Que Publishing.
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75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
36. Forget what your parents taught you. Talk to strangers!
37. Remember first impressions count.
38. Offer to volunteer at events.
39. Find a line. People tend to talk to one another while waiting in queue.
40. Smile!
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
41. You are not the only person in the room alone. Find someone else who is and introduce yourself.
42. Don't be too aggressive.
43. Look at their eyes not over their shoulders.
44. Record audio notes after the event. Use IFTTT* to transcribe the notes from your phone to your email.
45. Be aware of the latest industry news stories to discuss.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
* More about this here: http://daveadelaney.com/note-to-self/
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
46. Associate a person’s name with a picture in your mind. Sandy at the beach. Isaac on a cruise ship*.
47. Try to follow up with one person you met each day.
48. Look for industry related organizations and attend their events too.
49. Be more interested in other people than yourself.
50. Always review a person's business card before you place it in your pocket.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
* Love Boat reference for you younger readers.
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
51. Save one pocket for your business cards and one for the ones you collect. This way you won't hand out someone else's card.
52. Many events have open attendee lists. Refer to them before and after the event.
53. Write a blog post on your company blog about the event and how much you are looking forward to attending.
54. Write a recap blog post and share stories of the people you met and what you learned.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
55. Use your newsletter and social profiles to promote the recap blog post.
56. Include a link to the recap blog post in your follow up correspondence.
57. Create a Twitter List of people you want to meet at the event.
58. Find and subscribe to Twitter Lists already created by the event organizers.
59. Consider creating a custom business card for the specific conference or event.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
60. Pack extra power for your smartphone.
61. Bring hand sanitizer and wash your hands frequently.
62. Search and join LinkedIn groups related to the event.
63. Use Twitter search and advanced search to track the event name and/or hashtag.
64. Use LinkedIn's CardMunch app to scan photos of the business cards after the event.
65. Install Boomerang to schedule follow up emails with the people you met.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
70. Search Google Plus to find related Communities to join.
71. Create a personal landing page, so people can learn more about you easily.
72. End your follow up email with a call to action. What is the next step?
73. Use the person's first name several times as you are speaking to help remember it.
74. Shake hands firmly, but don't break any bones.
75. Have fun meeting people. Start TODAY.
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
I asked you for your tips too...
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
Standout! Be original! When everyone is wearing T-Shirts and jeans, wear a stylish suit. @lancemayfield
Network to help others, not yourself. It’s not just the right thing to do, it will also more likely return the favor. @meier_eric
My best networking tip is to pretend everyone has a sign above their head that says “make me feel important”. @johnmorgan
Leave the event and have a cocktail with someone who asked smart questions of the presenters. @knightstivender
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
Be more interested than you are interesting. @printelligence
Wear a fabulous tie or shirt or necklace or glasses. Everyone wants to know what's up with the girl in the bright pink dress. @BethanyJAMiller
Ask questions, instead of talking about yourself. @suzemuse
The clock is ticking after the event: you've got 24 hours to get back to the ones you want to do business with. @hanseich
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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Share your tips by tweeting with #nbnbooktips
@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
Thanks for Reading!
Please share this with your friends, clients and colleagues.
Cheers,Dave
www.nbnbook.com
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
@davedelaney | nbnbook.com
75 Tips for Better Event Networking | #nbnbooktips
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