Ever go to an event?
Meet a lot of people?
See some people at event after event?
How can you tell who you should be meeting and who is a waste of your effort?
Here’s the way I’ve come to prioritize my activities at an event.
Most important, I am looking to acknowledge my existing clients and partners.
Then I enjoy seeing people I have worked with on a successful project. Completed commercial, civic, and social projects, and successful events are evidence of our ability accomplish something together. I particularly like projects that can be completed and also celebrated in one afternoon.
I want to meet the people who routinely put up and then take down the decorations at the dance. People who hold office and drive the check-in table are important to me.
Then I enjoy meeting people who say they are interested in working with me.
After that, I am flattered to meet anyone who has commented and added to my writing.
I am thrilled when I meet a writer or speaker I follow.
I like to hear an entertaining story, or some information I can use. Tell me about an event or website that interests me.
I’m never busy as there aren’t many people like that.
I am bored with people bent on unloading business cards, and uncomfortable with purveyors of that limited special opportunity, or their pressing immediate need that I should fund.
Have you met them?
After you fine tune your own rating system, how might that change your actions during and after events?
April 10 is the next Capital Technology Management Hub featuring Sales Lab’s Rainmaker 13 – Are You Making The Most of Your Opportunity? 300 seconds of pure profit. The main speaker will be Tom Cooper of Bright Hill Group, presenting How to Deliver On a Project – When Your Team Doesn’t Report To You.
I feel your pain about getting bored of the countless business cards! It’s always great to meet someone who you want to meet though. After reading the book Good in a Room I’ve gained a different perspective on networking.
Thanks, Corey!
I’ll read it!