Personal Development

Smart Tips for 'Working the Room'

Once you're at an event - whether social or business - you need to make the most of it and 'work the room'. I witnessed some excellent working of the room at the Oaks Day cocktail party, which I'll share with you here:

Tip #1: Be clear on who to avoid and who to engage.

Be clear on who to avoid and who to engage. Don't mess around. If someone is in your vicinity that you do not wish to engage, you need to act quickly and move directly to a new target. It isn't enough to just mosey away, you need to specifically move toward someone else, rather than away from the person you want to avoid. Trust me - it's effective!

Tip #2: Never be seen just 'standing there'

Social suicide. No-one to talk to? Don't know anyone? No need to make it obvious. Refer back to point 1 - intent is the key and moving forward! Even if you don't know exactly who or what you're moving toward, no-one else does either!

Tip #3: Don't linger too long

There's many people in the room....don't linger too long with any of them. You have a mission and a purpose to work the room, and you can't do that if you talk to the same person/people for most of the night. Too boring. Keep moving!

Tip #4: Don't use an obvious segue...

Novices say things like "I'm just going to get another drink" (a line that I'm sure has passed my lips before...). Room-workers use phrases like, "your trip sounds fantastic...I'll look forward to hearing about it when you get back. Have a great time....(as they smile, kiss goodbye and/or do a slight arm movement to indicate a quasi wave, and move back from where they've been standing, and turn in the direction of.... a new target). A very subtle 'goodbye, I'm moving again' where neither party loses face.

Tip #5: Always have a free hand

One for a drink, which you're bound to need, and the other for quick bites and hand shakes. If you're female and have a bag, make sure it's a clutch or has a handle or strap so you can keep your hand free. Nothing worse than food in your hand and your mouth, a drink in the other, and you can't speak, and you can't 'shake'. Not a good look. No way to make connections.

Tip #6: Don't be seen to be leaving until you're out the door

There may be someone very important that you see just as you're leaving. Keep a drink in your hand and look like you're still in full networking swing. You don't want to be seen to be leaving early.

So, there they are. My top tips for working a room. Give it a try...believe me, when you come at it from a head space of 'working the room' as opposed to 'networking', you'll feel and act differently. Promise!

To read more articles like this one visit www.bossmentor.com.au © BOSS Management Group Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Jenny Stilwell is the Managing Director of BOSSMENTOR®, a consultancy providing advice on strategy and business growth for professional, lifestyle-oriented owners of service-based businesses who want to grow their businesses and ultimately spend less time in them. Bossmentor® provides mentoring programs, consulting services, and a range of resources for business owners wanting to grow. Visit http://www.bossmentor.com.au Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Stilwell

 

How to Network Effectively

For many people, networking is critical to their life. This is not just in regard to their professional life either, but with respect to every dimension of life, networking is extremely helpful at getting you ahead in life in general.

It doesn't matter what you are doing, whether it's seeking employment, wanting to take up a new sport, or maybe just trying to broaden your horizons, networking is an excellent way of meeting the right people. People are everything in life, that is truth.

Most people actually know more people that they might initially think. When you say network, many folk only think of work-related networks, but the thing is, your network is every person you know.

That means everyone, from old school friends to the people you grew up next to, from people on your high school football team to the guy you went to college with. The thing about a network is that everyone has one.

This means that you are able to get in on other people's networks, not just your own, which can be very helpful. Many people may think that this is socially awkward but the reality is that other people's network are extremely useful.

The modern telecommunication's revolution has made networking even easier. There are so many social networking sites out there where you can hook up with others who have similar outlooks, or meet great business contacts you wouldn't have otherwise. The internet is one of the key tools to growing your network.

You have to remember that when you are consciously expanding your network, not every new contact will be useful straight away. Also, networks are reciprocal, so that they should be good for all, which means you need to give as well as take.

Make sure to "feed" your network by being thankful to people who pay off. Networking is not always easy, but by being thankful you will make it so much less difficult.

Richard Peters has been writing about networking for the past three years. He also likes to write about small business-related topics, such as the importance of plastic sign holders and office signs to attract customers. Richard Peters Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Peters

 

How to Network Effectively - Even if you hate that sort of thing!

In my father's day networking was about knowing the 'right people' and it was called 'having connections'. Having these connections was also more to do with the school you went to or the army regiment that you had served in than it was about your skills or abilities. Networking used to be about being accepted because of whom you knew and whom you were, and rather less about what you could actually do.

Networking now seems to be a completely different proposition. The objective now is to create a wide collection of advocates for your skills and talents - people who will remember what you do and carry that with them in subsequent conversations with the other people they meet along the way. The idea is that if you get to know me over a period of time (because we make an effort to meet regularly, if somewhat briefly) then you will eventually start recommending me to your acquaintances, contacts, colleagues and other people you bump into whilst networking. Truth be told, 'bumping into' people suggests luck. Networking is the antithesis of leaving things to chance. It is about taking the luck element out of personal marketing by meeting lots of the right sorts of people, for the very specific purpose of listening out for opportunities for others and yourself.

A few days ago I think I may have met my networking guru in the shape of Mark Shaw. Mark helps consultants of all sorts to 'productize' their knowledge by selling e-books and other digital media. And in thirty minutes flat he not only gave me the wizard's guide to networking, he also blew a number of myths that I had held onto about what networking is. The very myths that have put me off giving it a proper go: it's tacky, a waste of time, lacking in substance, a fad, a longshot. It turns out that networking really is none of those.

For starters I learned that the first response to that fateful question, "so, Paul, what do you do?" must not be a lightning rendition of my elevator pitch, the 30-second advert for my paperclip-bending business. Foisting that on people that I'm still shaking hands with for the first time will apparently have them reaching for their inflatable pillows for a nap. The idea is to formulate an attention-grabbing, unforgettable phrase in seven-words-or-less for what I do: 'paperclips that talk", "websites for pop stars", "green concrete", 'mobiles for morons", "leather shoes for vegans", "accountants for number-phobes", and so on. And then I must always use the same phrase with whomsoever I should meet. If they want more detail, they'll ask me for it; if they don't, I'll have saved my breath and their patience. And yet the best is yet to come. The more interesting insight concerns who gets what. It seems that modern networking is especially good for your Karma.

The wisdom is: forget about what you are trying to sell and focus upon what your talking partner is trying to tell you. The driving force behind this notion is to look after other people's interests while they look after yours, think about it: the people who know you are already familiar with what you can do to help their organisations. But they don't know about what the person, who you met early this morning for breakfast, can do. Meanwhile, in another part of town, the other guy is talking about you to a person, to whom you don't have access. You give to get.

There is a catch of course (I knew it). As Mark put it, this is one of the toughest forms of marketing there is. Yeah right, drinking coffee and going to 'meetings' and just yakking about business is really tough. The fact is though, networking is a very long burn. People drop like flies from networking circles when they realize, after a few weeks, that they can't see a quick end (sale) in sight. Networking is about instilling trust in others so that they go and sell for you in networks that you can't reach, or can't even imagine. Networking is a very left-brained thing to do. It takes trust and faith in the intangible. People in a rush just don't get it.

So, my beginners' guide for networking success looks something like this:

1.   Get that opening line formulated - that's the hardest bit out of the way. Then use it wherever you go.

2.   Network with the appropriate level: if you need a Director to ultimately sell to, get amongst Director-level people from the start.

3.   Forget about the sale you want and listen out for your fellows - you'll get your say eventually.

4.   Never, ever give up or you risk wasting all your efforts thus far (sunk costs).

So put away that frayed old school tie that nobody ever recognised anyway and get out there and meet the right people.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Furey_Ph.D.

 

How to Network Effectively

You're smart, you're talented and you have a desire to go places in your career. The only obstacle is that you need a network of professionals to really 'kick start' things for you, but you don't know how to best go about making these connections.

That's where a Party comes in handy. Parties are great for networking and making those connections that could lead to something big for you.

However, you don't want to go to just any party. You need to get invited to parties that afford you opportunities to meet large numbers of people who have diverse backgrounds and are in businesses that are related to your career aspirations.

Next, do your homework. You want to know what types of people are attending the party. Since Managers tend to hire people they and their colleagues know, it will be important to know who the Managers are, at the party. If you are attending a party for a Professional organization, look up the names of the Board of Directors, because these are people who have business contacts that could possibly be of benefit to you.

Also, ensure that you know the names of the hosts of the party. These people know all of their guests and can provide you with important introductions.

Make a good impression! Arrive early. It's easier to get to know people when there aren't too many competing for the same person's attention. It's also easier to get noticed in a small group than in a large one.

Pay attention to details. What you are wearing should be in-tune with the rest of the group. Don't arrive looking like you're ready for a night on the town; there are many beauty rules to help ace your personal style. The opposite is true. Don't dress casually and look like this is your family's Christmas party complete with Christmas sweater, when the room is full of people dressed in black tie.

Make a connection. Striking up a conversation with strangers is difficult so ask your hosts to introduce you to people that you want to meet. Alternatively, if your hosts cannot help you then take the opportunity to introduce yourself to the other guests. You can do this in lineups to the bar and the buffet, leveraging the opportunities these situations present and turning them to your advantage. Say something like: "How do you know the hosts?" or "How long have you been a member of this organization?"

Make the connection matter. Remember your business cards and exchange them with people you want to develop a connection with. If you meet someone you want to speak more with, ask if they would like to continue the conversation over coffee sometime. If that doesn't seem appropriate, then follow up by answering some type of question that person had. For instance, if they told you that they were planning a trip to Miami and you recently went there, send an email with some restaurant recommendations or tour ideas.

Have fun! The effort you put in isn't going to payoff overnight. You have to think long term. So enjoy the parties and before long, you'll be the connection someone else is seeking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Leighton