Working The Back Of The Room

In this LinkedIn, Ning, Social Media reality,
succeeding at face to face meetings and group meetings are stillvery
important. On Dick’s Sales Model, I put “Events/Design,” which most people think
means talking from the front of the room.

Even though Julie once introduced me as a “loud and frequent speaker,” I

get most of my value from group meetings from actively working the
audience.

Last week
Washington DC Connections

had a
speed networking event

which was unique, because there was no front of the

room! I had a structured meeting, for a minute or so, one-on-one, with
over a hundred people.

Here’s what I learned.

Come prepared – My two best tools were a name tag and a supply of useful

handouts. Nametag, because several people thanked me for having a sign
they could read. The handouts were links to information I thought the
participants might want.

Introduce to be helped – I learned that if I asked for something in my

introduction, my partners were pleased to help. Got right to: “Here’s
what I need.”

Offer to help – A little better than half the time I had someone or

something that would help the other person. Those were the happiest
meetings.

Any spot is a good spot – After a half hour in a loud room, I was

hoarse, I stepped out of line to get a break. Outside the hall, I was
still in constant, productive meetings, they just weren’t quite as fast
as we couldn’t hear the airhorn.

I found opportunities for me, for my friends who weren’t attending, for

the promoter hosting the event.

What I liked best was the successful people discarded their recitation

of who they were and got right to what they could use, which led to
immediate transactions. That might be a good lesson for a slower moving
meetings, too.

Your thoughts?