I recently attended a networking event for marketers. It was a facilitated discussion and one of the topics was how to help others network. To my surprise, some of the marketers in the room left really bad impressions. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Here are ways to ensure that you will NOT win friends and influence people.
- Insult a good friend of the host. The world is really big. There is no way they could be friends.
- Talk nonstop. Make sure that no one else gets a chance to comment on the discussion.
- Don’t say hello to anyone. Instead, talk about how difficult the meeting location was to find.
- Be really negative. People love that.
- Assume that you know more than anyone else in the room.
- Whatever you do, don’t smile. Ever.
I write this post with a degree of sarcasm as a tribute to my friend Cassandra who truly appreciates the fine art. The truth is a smile and a positive attitude go a long way. Bonus points if you can make someone laugh.
I’d love to hear your networking horror stories and about some people that have made a really great first impression.