You’ve had a few weeks to get back from the holidays, get caught up and back in the mood to work. And network.
Now it’s time to get some events on the calendar. What events should you attend this year?
Obviously look at what you attended last year. Which ones were most effective? Which ones were not effective? Do you know why?
Look at who attended the events. Are they the kind of people you want to meet this year? Why or why not?
Review your message. What were you asking for last year? Did you get what you were asking for? Why or why not?
I’ll use myself as an example. There were seven events I attended regularly last year
*A networking breakfast at a nearby Women’s Business Center
*Three networking lunches: one Christian-based, one a meeting of attorneys and financial types and a general-attendance lunch
*Two evening open mixers
*My Chamber of Commerce mixers
The Women’s Business Center breakfast continues to be one of my best source for new prospects. It stays.
The attorney lunch meets a need to network with the types of people many of my contacts want to network with. It stays as a source of referrals for others.
The other two lunches were not effective for me, and I will only attend them if someone I know needs an introduction to the event.
One of the evening mixers was very effective last year. The others wasn’t, but with the addition of social media coaching to my services, I think a new message will make that event more productive. They both stay on my calendar.
The Chamber is always good. It stays.
See how it works? I’ve retained events, dropped events, and I’ve decided to experiment with a new message at one.
Once you have answers to those questions, it’s time to schedule the events you plan to keep. Get them on the calendar right now, for the entire year. That will minimize the chance of getting distracted and forgetting to go.
Leave room for new events. As you network this year, you may learn about new events to try. Make room for them on your calendar, and run them through the evaluation process above.
Make 2010 your best networking year yet!
Tags: Networking Events, time management
[...] Events in the New Year « All Things Networking [...]
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Juli Monroe, Chris Cooks. Chris Cooks said: RT @1to1Discovery: What networking events should you attend in 2010? http://bit.ly/4pr0ZC [...]
I’m always evaluating the networking events I attend. In the past, the Chamber was lousy – ZERO return. However, I may need to reconsider.
I attend two highly specialized monthly networking events, and they have paid off with work. They stay.
I’m analyzing a new one to see if it will yield clients.
My rule of thumb in attending a networking event is that the others who attend MUST have resources to outsource the things they don’t want to do, and furthermore, they must recognize and acknowledge this.
And, they must be willing in their minds and actions to piece off the work they don’t want to do, can’t do, and be willing to pay a professional her market value.
I no longer waste my precious, valuable time and energy on networking groups and events where the other attendees expect me to give away my highly valuable services for free, yet expect me to pay them for theirs. Sorry, doesn’t work that way, string bean.
I also stay far, far away from networkers (now I’m using the term loosely in light of what I’m about to say) who are just starting, have absolutely no capital or reserve funds to start their business properly, but expect free services and products, while dinging me for what they offer.
Now it’s time for me to get off the soapbox…thanks!
Nancy, feel free to get on the soapbox anytime. I’ll keep a special one with your name on it.
Excellent points all! You are totally right about avoiding groups where they expect you to pay them and give away your stuff for free. I think I may know to what group you are referring.
Fortunately, I also know you well enough to know that you get when that free consultation is the right thing. But only with the right people.
I agree that reconsidering the Chamber has merit. Even if you never get something directly from an event, being first in mind with the Chamber leadership is always a good thing. Especially when, like you, you have a service you can present in a way that is clearly different from your competition.