Sunday, March 16, 2008

Winning at Breakfast

Going to the early morning business networking event is a good move. First and foremost, the pastries and coffee are usually provided free. What's not to like about that?

To make sure you leave with a few new connections, here are a some strategies that have worked for me:

  1. Scan the crowd. Find someone who looks more uncomfortable in the situation than you are. Approach them first. Ask "Is this your first time here?". They'll be relieved to be in a conversation.

  2. Drink lots of coffee. Wait to get your next cup until you notice a line at the coffee station. Then approach. Conversations happen naturally between the sugar and cream.

  3. Camp out at the plate return tray. They are usually located near the wall. Everyone who attends the event will visit at least once. Sit back, wait, and let people come to you for some one on one.

  4. Have a memorable business card. Not necessarily a flashy card, but one that's different from all the others. At Young Isaac, our business cards are personalized with an ink stamp.
Most of all - relax, have a good time and smile! Everyone likes to meet a person with a smile.

For more cool ideas on networking, click here.

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