How to network at a social event

by chandra joshi i m blogger

Some people enter a party room that is full of guests and swiftly glide along from one active discussion to another, trying to find new business contacts and opportunities.

When they do, they move fast to connect with as many people as they can in an eloquent way so that it doesn’t look forced and unpleasing, and the idea is to use the party as a business networking opportunity

What is the first rule of networking? Don’t treat it like networking.

While there can be many examples of people who use events and parties for networking, I cannot think of a name better than Suhel Seth, who, besides managing his businesses in various fields, loves attending parties and uses such occasions for business networking.

Let us look at the top three useful business networking tips:

1)      Set the ball rolling

Stepping into parties can be intimidating at times when the room or the venue is filled with people whom you don't know. You need to put yourself at ease; for this, you need to do some homework and prepare about an eight to ten-second introduction before you arrive.

The introduction should also include the very purpose of why you are at the event. Engage in a friendly conversation. You can discuss various topics, for example, entertainment, the latest news, or any other subject.

2)      Do not overdo

It might so happen that the room you enter also has a CEO of a company that you had wanted to meet to discuss a business opportunity. Now what?

This is a no let go moment, and you need to be careful. Approach graciously and ask whether he can spare a couple of minutes, and if you manage to draw his attention, then keep your points very precise without getting too formal. Exchange business cards and thank him for his precious time.

Remember, parties are not the occasion for making a sales pitch; they are for engaging in conversations and establishing contacts with the decision-makers. Even if you manage to strike a business conversation, then do not make it too formal; gently discuss how your business can add to their value that could benefit them.

3)      Time for follow-up

Now that you have met someone at the party who could be a helpful contact, your objective at this point should be to carry forward the party meeting into a professional discussion. Ideally, you should start with your first follow-up with two to three days of meeting the connection.

Sending out an email is a better option to let the connection know that you enjoyed meeting him or her and that you would like to continue the conversation.

You can go from making a new acquaintance to having a conversation to getting insights to landing a new client, all in the span of one party.

Not all parties are networking events. How do we steer the delicate paths of professional and personal? "How To Network: The Party," a book authored by Suhel Seth, has it all figured out and lays it down in simple, easy-to-follow rules.

 

 

 

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Created on Jun 22nd 2021 00:07. Viewed 152 times.

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