Networking master class: how to ignore interrupters
Hi. I’m back to talk networking again, with the help of two experts I interviewed for a magazine article about this topic.
What’s your networking style? Do you tend to work the room methodically, or bounce around? Do you seek out people you know, or intentionally meet people you don’t know?
I tend to do the latter, introducing myself with a simple, “Hi, I’m Heidi, and I don’t think we’ve met before.”
I view networking as an essential aspect of my job, and I wear event nametags with pride. As a former reporter for The Business Journal of Portland, I needed to know the who’s who of Portland-area real estate and development professionals.
As marketing and research director for Colliers International, I served on several professional association committees (including one that hosted “grip & grin” political events) and I was constantly looking for opportunities to build more bridges. But I recognize that networking is a very different for a sunny extravert than a shy introvert.
Faced with a large event and a sea of strangers, many people clam up. They run for the bar, or for the company of their colleagues. They’re often afraid to make a mistake and embarrass themselves.
But networking pros know that some of the biggest mistakes in networking are wasted opportunities. “Some employees view events as break time, and most people treat it as a reactive, catch as catch can,” says Bob Potter, an expert in selling professional services in competition.
Smart managers set expectations for their salespeople by requesting they share the event content with their colleagues, make a minimum number of new contacts, or report on specific follow-up and conversion.
Many teams of coworkers tend to socialize with each other, rather than working the room. At a seated event, avoid buying a table for your firm. Instead, ask the event host if your company can place individuals at multiple tables.
“Being passive is deadly,” Potter said. “Even when someone takes your card or collateral and seems very interested, to assume they’ll call is a fatal mistake. People appreciate being approached.”
Cris Schulz, advertising director of the Daily Journal of Commerce and past president of the American Marketing Association of Oregon, says the biggest mistake is failing to be a genuine networker. “Shut up and listen to the other person, hear what their needs are, and follow up on some of these needs or make a business connection for them,” she said.
She does this by asking everyone, “How do I recognize when I meet a good prospect for you?” By striving to be the ultimate connector between business leaders, Schulz increased her own company’s revenue by an average of 37 percent per year for four years.
Another pitfall Schultz identified is getting sidetracked at a networking event—you’re focusing on one person, but other people pass through your field of vision and wave or say hello.
How does Schultz handle it?
“I wave back to acknowledge them, but I don’t speak,” Schultz said. “Then I immediately redirect my eye contact back to the person in front of me and say, ‘I apologize, what were you saying?’ and use their name. I let them know they have my full attention.”
This is an especially important tip for well-known and senior leaders who are often interrupted and approached by multiple people in the office or at an event. You can also block people from entering your conversation by walking together with the person you are speaking to or taking a table together; both discourage conversational joiners.
On the other hand, if you’re ready to wrap up and move on from meeting someone, start with a thank you. Describe any action you might take after the event (“I promised to send you,” or “Feel free to call when”) and then ask nicely, “Would you please excuse me? I want to make sure I say hello to a few more people here.”
