Secret to Success at Networking Mixers - Do Unto Others! It's a two-fer!

One of the best primers for networking mixers comes from the recognized master in networking, Dr. Ivan Misner, in his video blog, The Ten Commandments of Working a Networking Mixer. My favorite:  #2:  Set a Goal for the Number of People You’ll Meet.  Three additions to this commandment are:

a)  Decide for whom you want to meet people
b)  Decide what kind of people you want to meet
c)  Make your target public

In accordance with Do Unto Others, when I go to networking events, I'm there to find referrals for my network partners.  The premise of this strategy is that by working to find referrals for your network partners, then you are also helping the person at the networking mixer to whom you refer your network partner.  This is the two-fer:  Help your network partner and help a new acquaintance.  With one act, you now have two people who are grateful to you, you solidify an existing relationship, and you move a new relationship forward by showing you care.  By behaving in this manner consistently, relationships like these lead to reciprocity and therefore a steady stream of referrals to you. 

To do this, before the event, you need to pick for whom you want to find a referral.  Look at your list of network partners and decide for which ones you want to find referrals.  Part of this decision can be for whom you want to provide reciprocity for referrals they gave you. 

Next, once you know for whom to find referrals, you will know what kind of person you will be looking.  This step and the first might be a bit interactive.  You may want to take a look at the type of people who will attend the event! You can get a preview on this by requesting a list of the registered attendees prior to the event. Based on that, you can match prospective attendees to referral targets for your network partners and chose for whom to find referrals based on the people at the event and then target those prospective attendees. 

One side benefit from this:  You will look different than most others at the network mixer.  Instead promoting yourself at the mixer like most attendees do, you are trying to help others.  This behavior is looked upon favorably and attendees who jump on your band wagon and want to help you help others.  This is where the third tip comes in:  Make your target public.  Start out by announcing to the event organizers who you are looking to find so you can bring back a referral for your network partners.  The organizers may know a lot of the attendees and in many cases, will act to introduce you.  Further, as people arrive, they will remember for whom you are looking and direct you to them as they arrive.  Announce to everyone you meet for whom you are looking and they will become part of your team as well. 

A second side benefit of these strategies is that by not talking a lot about yourself and looking to help others, this makes you more likable and desirable to know.  Other attendees will want to hear about you and offerings.  At one of the last networking mixers I attended, this strategy resulted in two prospect meetings and a new client - one of my biggest! 

Bringing back a two-fer makes the networking mixer a success for you!