Plan Your Meetings @ Meeting Professionals International

  • About PYM
    • About us
    • Testimonials
    • Advertise
    • PYM in the news
  • Education
    • Live events
    • Advice and best practices
    • Meeting industry news
    • PYM Professional Development Guide
  • Resources
    • City guides
    • PYM business directory
    • Request information
    • MPI membership
  • Special offers
    • PYM Contests
    • Weekly deals and highlights
  • Blog

The how, where and why of networking

March 13, 2013 by Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM, and James S. Rota 7 Comments

Have you heard people say they’re a right-brain or left-brain thinker? Right-brain thinkers tend to be creative and instinctual, left-brainers more analytical and logical. That’s how “Beauty and the Brain,” from the minds of Christy Lamagna and James Rota, was born. James’ creativity and vision mesh with Christy’s logistics focus and strategic thinking to bring a well-rounded approach to their events. These columns are designed to highlight both sides of the planning process. 

::

From the Beauty

Networking is not only one of the most important tools in your toolbox, it is an art form. Many organizations hold networking events on a regular basis. I could spend every evening at one. The truth is that networking should not be set aside for professional events, it should be practiced and used with every interaction you have.

Let me ask you this: Do you think your needs, wants and desires will materialize if you share them with no one?  The answer, probably not. But when you break down the essence of networking, you’ll find a simple truth. It’s about sharing your needs, wants and desires with others so you can lessen your degree of separation from them. For the best results, networking takes practice. First, step out of your box and network with people you don’t already know. (In most cases, people you know should already have the inside scoop.) Next, find a variety of people with different backgrounds and skills to network with. If you only network with other planners, chances are no one will grow their business.

RELATED STORY: Networking: Put social strategies to work for you

The first few steps are getting to know one another, establishing common goals, and then collaborating toward them. We are all unique. Ask yourself what makes you interesting and worth knowing? What about you makes you stand out and be memorable? Is it something you do or some special knowledge? Find that something and use it into your narrative to engage people and have them asking questions. Keep your narrative relevant and flexible to your audience. Start by looking for things that you have in common. This creates a bond, giving you the opportunity to move forward.

Don’t know where to start? A rule of thumb is to ask open-ended question and listen carefully for clues that link your commonalities. Don’t be afraid of rejection and always ask for, and offer, a business card. Don’t worry about your goal while networking. Relax and enjoy the process. This will let the conversation flow more naturally without that “pushy” sales feeling.

An easy way to start is to promise yourself you will collect six new business cards or set up two “meet for coffee” dates by the end of the event. The last — and one of the most important — rules of great networking is to send follow-up emails to your most promising contacts, then immediately enter their information on your PC and mobile device. This will set the level of your professionalism and give you the ability to reach out again.

From the Brain

Networking is a key life skill. It’s not something you do just for work or because you need something. Your “circle” is the spine of your personal and professional life.

Need a reliable doctor? You call someone you know for a recommendation. Need a tip for a great hotel in Italy or for an honest mechanic? You’ll likely ask someone you trust. That’s your circle at work. The goal is for you to get calls seeking your advice and expertise. You want to be seen as the go-to person as often as possible. Bottom line, when people turn to you for advice, it means you are respected and top of mind. It starts with a smile and ends with you being a consistently reliable and trusted resource. Be the person everyone wants to know, and your network will grow exponentially.

Until next time, remember, smart is beautiful!

RELATED STORY: Social networking: Is it working for you?

Filed Under: Career advancement, Networking and lead-generation Tagged With: beauty and the brain. plan your meetings, networking, networking tips, planning 101

Comments

  1. Lori Cohea says

    March 14, 2013 at 2:43 PM

    Do you welcome guests to attend the meetings? I am in the beauty industry, Roosters, to be exact which is a mens grooming salon!

    Reply
    • Kristi Casey Sanders says

      March 15, 2013 at 2:29 PM

      Hi Lori- Our LIVE Events are for meeting planners, but I’m sure you can find lots of other types of networking events.

      Reply
  2. Ron Gentile says

    March 14, 2013 at 11:40 PM

    Very nice article. New mobile apps can help accelerate your networking by connecting you with the most relevant people. A great example is RiteHere. See http://ritehereapp.com. Oh yeah, I’m the company’s CEO. Cheers, Ron

    Reply
    • Kristi Casey Sanders says

      March 15, 2013 at 2:49 PM

      Nice plug, Ron. 🙂 Actually, what’s interesting is that LinkedIn api is starting to drive a lot of new apps I’ve seen lately. There’s one integrated into Topi, which is what we use. There’s Bizzabo and Here on Biz too. There’s definitely demand for being able to actively leverage your social networks IRL in real time. And so it naturally is starting to bubble up all over event applications.

      Reply
  3. Saronna Maldonado says

    May 24, 2013 at 4:26 PM

    Great article! I will use the information in this to encourage networking at our next annual conference. Our attendees ask for networking opportunities, when the opportunity is there right in front of them most of the time. They just don’t know how to get started. Myself included in this. A little intimidated, sort of, by the conversation that hasn’t even happened yet. Thanks for this article! Keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • Kristi Casey Sanders says

      September 24, 2018 at 10:56 AM

      Thanks Saronna!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *







About Us

Everything we do at Plan Your Meetings @ Meeting Professionals International is designed to educate, inspire and empower meeting planners, and connect them to the ideas and resources they need to plan better meetings and events. Read More…

Recent Posts

  • 5 ways to eliminate last-minute time-management tendencies
  • Event marketing strategies for tough economic times (UPDATED)
  • The time is right to simplify and focus
  • Fyre Festival and planning in cinema
  • Free industry magazines, blogs and podcasts (UPDATED)

Welcome new PYM partners!

  • PYM Welcomes Horseshoe Bay
  • PYM Welcomes Wynn Las Vegas
  • PYM Welcomes Delta Air Lines
  • PYM Welcomes Starwood Hotels and Resorts
  • Woodlands Resort & Conference Center

Our Mission

PYM @ MPI seeks to empower the people who make meetings happen by providing best practices education, helping them forge strong business partnerships with suppliers and find mentors in the industry. We firmly believe that meeting and event planners are the movie producers of the corporate world. Meetings move us. Meetings mean business. When we meet, we can change the world.

2711 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, Suite 600, Dallas, Texas 75234

PYM @ MPI Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us

The Practical Guide to Meeting Planning

PYM2015-Practical-Guide-to-Meeting-PlanningPages of handy-dandy checklists of essential items and best practices. Download it today

Connect with us

Want to keep up with what's going on with PYM? Follow us across our Social Networks.
  • Dribbble
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Become a Meeting Professional

Join Meeting Professionals International, the largest and most prestigious international association for meeting and event professionals.

Want to learn more? Contact us or call 866-318-2743 and tell them PYM sent you! MPI Logo

©2019 Plan Your Meetings @ Meeting Professionals International. Plan well & prosper, friends!