Breaking Out of Your Clumps at Group Events

Do you remember from your school days the proverb, "Birds of a feather, flock together?" It is a truism, isn't it, and not just for birds. It is a natural tendency in humans to want to stay in groups with others we feel comfortable with - either people we already know or those with whom we share similar interests.

When it comes to business events like large training groups, business functions and networking events staying within your groups or your clumps may not be a good idea. What's usually your main reason for attending these events? Would it be for exposure? Even if your goal is 'only' to learn, these are opportunities to get to know other coaches, marketers, etc. If you congregate with just your known circle, you are not allowing yourself to make meaningful connections and possibly reach new people and companies that you'd like to do business with. You may also have the personality or type of business someone else needs. Would it be fair to deprive others of getting to know you?

Breaking out of your clumps or clusters may be challenging but it can be done. Develop the mindset of a Host who has to circulate among everyone in the room just to be sure they are comfortable. This could mean asking yourself, Who can I help to establish new contacts? Which two people can I introduce to each other-whose businesses could support each others? Which speaker impacted me that I can sincerely give a compliment to?

Just a reminder, because I've been guilty of this too. You may be nervous, but force yourself not to talk too much. Make brief comments then ask questions that will elicit positive responses. In so doing you take the pressure off yourself and the person to whom you're speaking will be thrilled at your level of interest in what he or she has to say.

I invite you to post your Comments and share your experience on this topic.

Are You Making the Mistake of Handing Out Your Business Cards too Freely at Networking Events?

Networking events are great meeting places and as the name implies, they provide a venue to work within a group - usually of professionals. Like any other successful method of marketing, there is an art to networking that involves many areas, but we'll focus on just one for now. What is you goal when you attend networking events? Is it to quickly tell everyone who you are, what you do, hand out as many cards as possible, then leave?

If your goal is to get your card into the hands of as many people as possible without taking the time to find out who they are, what they do and how you can help them, then your purpose for attending would have failed. It's important to remember that networking is about building relationships and to achieve this it is important to be others focused. Get to know people by asking questions about them. Ask simple conversation starters like: What do you do? You can follow with questions like, How long have you been in business or working this particular business? Who is your target market? How can I help YOU?

Someone may say that if all they're to be concerned about is the other person, what's the point in attending these events? The point is that when you show that you care about others, they begin to build a measure of trust in you. People are so accustomed to being pitched to so that when you display the opposite behavior they lose some of the defense wall surrounding them and will more readily want to learn more about you and find out how they in turn can help you.

Go with a mindset to GIVE, and you'll be pleasantly surprised how much you GET.

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