Are You Up To Speed?

Like all things in life these days, time is short and always of the essence. This rings true for marketers. We seem to always find ourselves under constant time constraints and burning the midnight oil to make tight deadlines. 

But like all good business people, marketers also understand the power of networking. We all know it takes only one good relationship to open opportunities for sales or advance one's career, but finding the time to network can be extremely tough. So at times, you have to make the best use of your time and work the floor to meet as many people as possible. 

At last week's BCAMA AGM, we had our first Speed Networking event.  Patricia Wu, our director of Special Events kindly passed along some tips from the event. They make for great pointers for anyone looking to speed network or, at the very least, refresh themselves on some basics.

10 Tips For Speed Networking Success

1. Have the right tools

Bring lots of business cards, a pen and the right mindset (smile, make eye contact, and remember a firm handshake)

2. Think about your goals

Be prepared to have one or two.  Are you looking to hire? Looking for general contacts in the marketing industry? Are you promoting your business?

Make it easy for someone to help you. The more concise you are in the descriptions of yourself and your goals, the better your odds for success.

3. Know short statements about yourself

Just like elevator pitches, it pays to prepare a few lines about yourself and your business/company/service. Think about what you are looking for and how you can benefit others as well.

4. Practice the art of the business card

Always have yours ready to give out. After meeting someone, read the business card of the person while chatting. This shows interest and helps you to remember his/her name. Take the time to write a brief note while the other person is talking. And try to separate yours from the ones you receive.

5. Help others and get leads yourself

Goodwill goes a long way. After meeting someone, if you see an opportunity to help them with their goals, please do. Chances are the favour will be returned.  It might not be tomorrow, but you might benefit in the months to come.

6. Make time after an event

You might only have enough time to chat for a few minutes, so ask people to talk in greater detail after initial introductions. This opens more time to meet more people and sets up a quick next step in nurturing a business relationship.

7. Don't miss potential synergy

Always think about future endeavors. Be direct and propose a date and time. 

8. Follow up 

It's easy to brush it off, but take the time to send a thank you email to initiate additional communication. If relevant, think about inviting new contacts into your social media networks like LinkedIn.

9. Be professional and courteous

No brainer here. This isn't speed dating, so remember to keep your level of professionalism high.

10. Have fun and be yourself

Networking is about making a connection, so have fun and your positive vibes will be infectious.

So if you have the need for speed, remember some of the points above as they will go a long way to helping you achieve your goals.