04/ 14/ 2008
by Maggie Flynn
A social event, such as a wedding reception, birthday gathering or other celebration, may strike you as the perfect place to spread the word about your business, but if you handle it the wrong way, you'll end up alienating potential clients. Here are some dos and don'ts for promoting yourself at social events.
Do talk to new people
Dinner parties, neighborhood barbeques and even fan gatherings at sports bars are opportunities for you to tell people about your business. But if you stick closely with the circle of friends who already know everything about your company, you won't have a chance to take advantage of this easy way to spread the word.
Roam the entire party and introduce yourself to all the new people you can. Carry business cards in case it feels appropriate to share them. If networking doesn't come easily to you, try a sure-fire conversation starter. After exchanging names, ask the person how they know the guest of honor or party host. If the person isn't receptive or the conversation doesn't lead anywhere, no problem—just move on to the next new face.
Don't monopolize the conversation
Early in an introductory conversation, the question of what each party does usually comes up. While this is a great opportunity to tell the person a bit about your business, don't launch into a monologue about the products and services you offer. You don't want your new acquaintance to feel as if he's been railroaded into hearing a sales pitch. If the other person seems more interested in talking about the friends you have in common or other socially-centered topics, don't try to keep turning the conversation back to business. Just enjoy the fact that you're chatting with an interesting new person.
Even if the other party seems genuinely interested in your business and asks you questions, don't forget to ask him or her a few questions as well. Finding out more about the other person not only makes the conversation more interesting, it will help both of you figure out if some sort of business relationship could be in your future.
Do remember that networking is a two-way street
Don't network with the sole intention of helping yourself and your business: See if you can be of assistance to others as well. Small business owners are usually well connected in their community, so if the person you are speaking with is seeking out a new job, for example, tell him about associates with whom you could put him in touch. The following should go without saying: If you say you're going to do something for someone, do it!
This sort of altruistic behavior ultimately helps your business as well. The next time this person needs a product or service you offer, your phone will likely ring.
Don't shove those business cards in a junk drawer
When the event is over, you still have work to do. If you go home with a stack of business cards, send your new contacts a quick email saying that you enjoyed meeting them and hope to chat with them again. If someone seemed like a potential client or business associate, take your follow up further: Call and invite him or her to a business lunch. There's no point in networking if you don't put your new contacts to use, so be diligent about your follow through.
While most small business owners make good use of opportunities to promote themselves, there are a few who feel it's in poor taste to do so at social events. This is not so. You never know who might need your services, and keeping quiet could result in a missed connection. You'll do just fine using social events as networking opportunities as long as you follow good conversational etiquette and remember to bring every successful networker's secret weapons: a firm handshake and breath mints.
