Before an individual goes to a happy hour or meetup, it’s important for them to know the goals that they want to accomplish at the event. They should think through the reasons why they are attending and what they hope to accomplish.
They should understand why their goals are important and make sure that they have clear objectives. This will help create a way to measure what’s accomplished at the event and see if it’s successful.
Conducting Homework
If a list of attendees to a networking event is available, conducting a little homework can really prove to be valuable. A person can take this list and go to each individual’s website. If the attendees business is congruent, they should be put on the list as someone to meet with during the networking event.
If possible, an email or call should be sent before the event to arrange a meeting in person. This opens up the doors for a possible relationship that may be positive for both parties in the future.
Dress Well
It’s important to find out if there is any expected attire that’s required to be worn for the event. If there isn’t, a person should still dress well. Standing out from the crowd is an excellent way to grab attention. Obviously, a person doesn’t want to go to extremes, but a tie and jacket may work well with the brand of a person.
Know The Location Of The Event
An individual should take advantage of a networking event by knowing exactly where it is and getting there early. It’s important to be well-rested, energetic, stress-free and alert. On the way to the event, listening to music may help calm the nerves.
Talk About Your Work
When a person goes to a networking event, they will probably get asked about their work. It’s important to create a list of talking points and focus on those when the question comes up. The main goal when interacting with others is to provide a memorable and interesting interaction.
Obviously, a person does not want to just talk about themselves. Having a back-and-forth conversation will create the best results. Hopefully, this will lead to a new acquaintance to communicate with in the future.