How to Maximize a Networking Event

As a small business owner, you have probably read, time and time again, that face to face networking is one of the best ways to meet new clients. But, if you are like many people, forcing yourself to walk into a room and make awkward small talk around a table of canapés sounds more excruciating than pulling your own teeth.

But, if you are willing to make the effort, face to face networking can be a great way to not only meet new clients, but possible vendors, partners and even important community members. Here are a few tips for making the most out of a networking event:

1. Choose Appropriate Events – If you are simply attending every mixer that comes up on your community calendar you are probably wasting a great deal of time. Be sure to keep your target audience in mind when RSVPing for networking events. If you mainly work with building contractors, a networking event for creative professionals probably won’t be the ideal mixer for you. This is true even if you are a creative professional. While it is a great idea to keep up with your peers and your industry, you probably won’t find many new leads in a room full of your competitors.
2. Arrive Early – Sure, all the cool people arrive late to the party, but as you probably already suspected from the fact that nobody busts out vacation pictures or crashes on the couch, networking events are far from parties. When you arrive early, fewer people are present and it is easier to strike up a conversation. When you walk in late, people have already broken off into groups and it can be more difficult to jump in.
3. Prepare Your Elevator Speech – At a networking event, the number one question you will be asked is “What do you do?” You’d be surprised at how many people aren’t prepared with a simple, comprehensive answer for that question, or an “Elevator Speech.” Arrive at networking events armed with a 30 second speech about what you do and how you provide value to clients.
4. Keep it Short and Simple – Perhaps you have met someone at a networking event who fascinates you. You could talk to this person all night (Hey, it could happen). Stifle that urge! Instead, schedule a lunch or other follow up and move on. Think of networking events as speed dating for business. People attend networking events to meet as many people as possible. The value comes from the follow up.
5. Follow Up – So you’ve met scads of interesting people and collected a stack of business cards. Now what? First, don’t let too much time pass before following up. It can be easy to forget which face goes with which business card, especially if you met many people. Take some time that evening or, at the latest, the next morning to enter your new colleagues into a contact management system, email contact list, or even a Rolodex. Then follow up with a pleasant email expressing how nice it was to meet them. And don’t skimp on follow up just because this person may not be a potential client. Who knows? They could have enjoyed meeting you so much that they pass your name on to someone else who does need your services.

Heeding these tips will help ensure that your next networking event is a comfortable, productive time rather than an awkward or boring waste of an evening. What tricks do you use to make the most out of networking events?

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