3 Things You Should Know Before You Go To A Networking Event

Very few people make any preparation for a networking event. Those that are experienced networkers are even worse. We think that being dressed professionally and having a good opening line is all that we need to have a good networking event.

But you are going to spend several hours of your free time doing this event. Does it make sense to arrive unprepared with no clear goals? Remember it's YOUR time that you are using at these events.

So here are three things that you should be clear about prior to arrival.

1. Know yourself.

How are you feeling? Rushed? Stressed? Put upon? Don't really want to go? First be aware of your mood and if negative, figure out how to put it away for the event. If you need to, arrive a little late and give yourself some up time. Go browse a favorite store, grab a cup of your favorite coffee, whatever it takes to put yourself in a better place, relaxed and positive.

What happens if you don't? You see it all the time. People looking stressed, tired, unfocused. More worried about the food or drink than networking. They just want to relax, join up with someone they know and talk (whine?) about their work day.

I certainly understand. But what are you accomplishing then? If you are using a networking event to unwind, wouldn't it make sense to just head on home? The other thing is that you are sending out signals, negative signals. Not a productive use of your time.

2. The second thing you should know is who's going to be there.

Many networking events are constructed so that you know who else is registered. You should check it the afternoon of the event. (Typically 50% register within the final two days, depending on the type of event). Search for people you would like to talk to, whether similar businesses, to sell or buy from or even a business that you would like to know more about.

By focusing on several people you would like to meet, you already have made the event more meaningful for you to attend. It's also going to force you to circulate the room more (to find them), introduce yourself to people and make you more active at the event. You don't need to tell them you were specifically looking for them, but introduce yourself as you would to anyone else.

When you do meet up with 2 or 3 people that you had marked for conversation, you'll have accomplished something positive! Unconsciously, you will be feeling good about that and it will show. Chances are you'll be feeling pretty good and people will respond to that.

On a final note for this section, when you look at who you would like to meet expand your idea of who would be useful to you besides just a possible sales prospect. How about meeting someone that ....

o Has a business that you have an interest in?

o Appears to be well connected in the community?

o Is in a position that you have an interest in?

o Might have services that YOU could use?

o Might have services that someone you know could use?

o Has an off the wall business that you aren't clear on, but it might be interesting to know about?

o Or business that you should know more about, but don't understand... something like internet marketing? (I still don't get it!)

The bottom line is that there are a lot of people out there with a lot of knowledge that YOU may not have and networking is a fantastic opportunity to meet them and gain from it. Certainly we would like to get business from networking, but by opening yourself to the wide range of people that you could meet, you have a much better chance of making any networking event a more profitable use of your time.

3. Know your goals!

Certainly adhering to step 2 would be a great start to making a goal for networking. But there are certainly other things that you can focus on as well depending on what you want to accomplish. Getting an appointment to meet (or meetings) with one or more people, getting to know someone better (building that relationship), getting a certain amount of business cards, introducing yourself to the powers that be (if a chamber event, the officers and the people who work at the chamber), and meeting X amount of new people (a great networking goal!).

Making goals doesn't have turn into this high pressure "business" thing. But BY making goals, you are more likely avoiding the opposite extreme which is to show up, talk to some people and then go home.

Successful people in any business today know the value of preparation. For some meetings, the preparation can take a great deal longer than the meeting itself. But good prep is likely to create good meetings. It is no different with networking. The good news is preparation time is pretty short, checking out where our head is at, how's coming and what you want to accomplish. In fact, after doing it a time or two, it will be pretty natural and talk just a few minutes. But the payoff is significant.