10 tips to maximize your next business networking event
Chances are you are going to be attending a sit-down luncheon (or breakfast or dinner) business networking event in the near future because face-to-face networking is back—big time! We have spent a lot of time at events like these and have seen many missed networking opportunities and some cringeworthy behavior.
Post-pandemic why not approach your next events with a reinvigorated networking energy? Here are some of our very best tips when networking sitting down.
1. Find friendly places to land during the business networking reception
Who hasn’t been to a business networking reception and ended up standing alone — hoping to see a friendly face but none appears? Here’s what to do in that case, talk to an event sponsor. There are usually several tables in the reception area for the sponsors. Go over and learn something about them. Even if you don’t think their services or information are applicable to you, you may have someone in your network that could find their product or service useful. But, if that doesn’t happen, it’s good to just be talking to someone rather than standing alone!
2. Stay standing when you get to your table
Unless the event is just about to start, don’t plop yourself down in your seat and start looking at your phone.* Stay standing as other people are ambling into the room looking for their seats. If there are people already at your table walk over, introduce yourself, and start a conversation. Or go and talk to someone at the table next to you.
*Rule of thumb: Unless you are tweeting something from the event, please avoid looking at your phone. Instead, have a conversation with the people right in front of you!
3. Keep your table vibe friendly and welcoming
If you are saving seats for people, avoid doing this—tipping the chairs in towards the table. Not only is this a navigational hazard in tight spaces, it suggests “this table is closed to random people being welcome here”. If you need to save a couple of seats, put something on the chairs such as your briefcase or the program. If someone comes to your table and seems to want to sit down, you can let them know you’re saving certain seats, but you can also say, “Please join us, these other two seats are free.” Now you and your table guests will meet some new people.
A financial institution client of ours followed this advice when at a chamber of commerce event with their team and ended up having two people join their table. That random connection ended up creating a multi-million-dollar financing deal. That’s the magic of networking!
4. Talk to the human being next to you
This is a scenario we’ve experienced. Three people were sitting at a table near us, and a fourth person approached that table. The new guy asked, “Is this seat free?” He got a nod, sat down and then no one said anything. What was that??? Instead, the people at that table should have made that person feel welcome and talked to him. It was painful to watch as they ignored their new tablemate. Of course, the new guy could have reached out as well.
5. Take the time to put on a name tag; it’s not nerdy, it’s practical
If the event organizer provides name tags, please use them. Print your first name clearly so it can be read across a table. If someone can see your name it is easier for them to engage you in conversation.
6. Make introductions as a matter of course
If someone you know comes over and starts a conversation with you, but you’ve been in a conversation with the person seated next to you, do the polite thing and ask, “Do you know each other?” If not, make the introduction. Now the three of you can be engaged in a conversation and your seat mate is not frozen out. You would think people would automatically do this, but they don’t. Do this as well when you are standing up networking.
7. Just ask for a business card
Frequently when you give someone your business card, you don’t receive one back and you wonder why. They aren’t interested in me? I am not important enough? Ignore those voices in your head. The solution is simple—just ask for one. You’ll find that people are happy to give you their card—if they remembered to bring them.
8. Carry at least seven cards
Most business networking functions have tables set for eight—so you’ll have a card for everyone at your table. But bring more. Our mantra: You can never have too many business cards, only too few. And if you think business cards are old fashioned remember they are a logical little piece of paper that will help you reconnect if you want. Most people don’t have the brain power to remember everyone they meet. Let’s face it most of us can’t remember the name of the person we met five minutes ago!
9. Introduce yourself to everyone at the table
Take the time to walk around the table and meet everyone you will be ‘breaking bread’ with—it’s a social, communal activity. We also exchange cards with everyone when we first meet them and leave their cards by our place setting, in the order people are sitting around our table. That way we know everyone’s names and what they do. It definitely helps with conversation.
Is Tip 9 something you do, or does it feel a little bit out of your comfort zone? Here is our logic: we think it is odd to sit at a table with people for a couple of hours and never know their names.
10. Toss out a conversation topic
There are usually 30 minutes before the actual speaker presentation begins, when you are being served the first course. That’s time for conversation as you eat your salad (it’s usually a salad). Do something bold. Before everyone pairs off and talks to the person next to them for the whole meal, toss out a question to the table. It means finding a break when no one is speaking (surprisingly, not that hard) and asking a question that allows everyone to contribute an answer.
Here is just one example of a question that everyone can answer. “How would everyone at this table rate the recent government budget: A, B, C or F?” It’s interesting to get everyone’s opinion, and perhaps some people will share how it will impact them. Now, since you asked the question, make sure everyone gets to answer it. Ask a question that has general appeal for everyone at the table, is maybe newsworthy, but avoid divisive topics. Have an engaging, inclusive conversation before the speaker gets up to the podium. Whenever we are able to achieve this at our table we hear from others in the group how much they loved the fact that “we all had a conversation”. Someone just has to get the ball rolling and why not make that person YOU.
Keep the learning going
Networking is hard, but we’re here to help. Make sure you sign up for our free weekly networking tips, so you can continue to get emails that will help you along your networking journey. And, for more comprehensive learning check out our online course, Power of Positive Networking®. It is almost five hours of training that you can do on your own time, at your own pace.
Gayle Hallgren and Judy Thomson
Please note: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Image: istockphoto.com/rawpixel