At a recent event, I encountered a young networker on a mission. While working the room is a given for many, to some, like this young lady, it was a natural activity. Add “working a room” to brushing one’s teeth, coming your hair or waking up in the morning. Some things some people just do without even breathing hard.
The group was a real estate gathering near a university. what was cool about this woman, a student (who had their tickets comped for them by the school–in fact some got academic credit), was that she arrived about 10 minutes before the last session ended and right before the networking started.
She had arranged for a pre-printed name tag, knew which shoulder to put it on (at the end of your right arm, right?) and had her cards at the ready. When I introduced myself and engaged her in conversation, she confidently told me who she was seeking out at the event. She had a hit list.
Cool.
So here is a warmed up lesson on working the room:
- Know when to arrive for optimal exposure and effectiveness.
- Be prepared with cards and name tags.
- Have a list in your head of who you want to engage and why.
- Own the room and be confident.
Not a bad set of lessons from a student. Veterans should know so much. And then put it into practice.
Relentless
