Preparation, Preparation, Preparation, Preparation...
That is what i got from Chris Brogan's blog post "Get more out of Conference and Networking Events." I have done alot of networking myself but never really thought about what I need to do before the event to maximize what i get out of it. Chris says:
"If you find others who are attending via social media sites or by using a service like Technorati or Google Blogsearch, drop them a comment on their blog mentioning that you’re attending as well. It might make for a good early ice-breaker to know others coming to the event."When I first read this, I thought he was a genius. Who would ever think to begin a conversation before the networking event so that when you get there, you already have an "in." It might sound a little "stalker"ish, but honestly, you do what you need to do to increase your personal brand.
I remember one time at a function I recognized someone from a facebook group that I ran. It was a great way to begin the conversation and helped me broaden my network. In fact, that conversation helped me gain a trustworthy supporter of the Governor in Florida and she became a great help for me in the future.
3 comments:
I think thats awesome how you used the network to your advantage.
Its so strong and we don't even realize it until your thrown into a real situation in creating business contacts.
like you said preparation is the key and if dropping a line on someone else's blog gives you passage into their circle, there's no reason not to.. and yeah it might be "stalkerish" but you have to look out for yourself and get your ins soo things work out for you in the long run
Your story hits the nail on the head. I have been to a few networking events as of late, and I wish I knew more people ahead of time.
Knowing those around you makes you more confident and like-able as well. I do think we have to be careful however, not to come off too strong, especially to recruiters.
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