Holiday Networking

It is that time of year where you are thrusted into meeting new people; the always faithful holiday gatherings filled with small talk. But this year is different, you are going to be well equipped by learning how to effectively network instead of being bored and staring into your coffee.

How do you successfully navigate holiday parties, 

getting the most out of an event through networking?

The table setting at a wonderful networking lunch meeting this afternoon.

1. First know your audience/contacts before the meeting if at all possible. Find out a common interest. (At the event that I attended this afternoon, we were all alumni from the same college. )

2. Have a prepared a one minute talk about your past experiences/life, but make it personal to the audience by adding in something about the common interest you discovered about the group.

3. At the event do not wait to be greeted by others, it shows confidence in a crowd if you introduce yourself to a stranger instead of lingering in the back of a room. So seek out one person that you would like to talk to.

4. Once you have introduced yourself, jump into the one minute overview of you. But allow enough room for pauses for open conversation and questions.

5. Ask your new friend, more about themselves and what they are passionate about doing.

6. You will begin to feel comfortable with the one person that you have introduced yourself to, now do it again to the rest of the people in the room.

7. Give yourself a pat on the back when you discover you now have greeted everybody in the room or at least everybody you wanted to talk to.

8. If you find that you would like to talk to an individual more about a particular topic seek them out during the event, and since you have previously spoken them, you will already have a connection. This is when the real networking happens.

Enjoy the wonders of networking this holiday season and 

the wonderful new connections that you have the possibility of making.