Top Networking Tip of the Week: Practice Your Pitch Before the Event!
While we’re all interested in networking at events, often we’re looking to catch up with the big players in the game and introduce ourselves and what we do. One way to maximise your chances of making the most of a split second encounter with them is to be ready with your pitch.
“Why not plan ahead to have things to talk about? Have a conversation plan; it is vital to starting conversations and infusing them with some purpose.” Baber et al. 2015. p34.
Now while a pitch is usually used for selling, remember that you’re doing just that – you’re selling yourself to them, and you have less than a minute to do it! Think about what you want to get across to them about yourself: What do they need to know?
Most of us know that it takes less than a minute to make a first impression! In fact, an article featured in the journal ‘Psychological Science’ by Princeton psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov state that it takes one tenth of a second for people to make their minds up about us. And further to that, they say that spending more time with us might not change this impression!
A great way to ensure your pitch is focussed on what your new contact needs to know about you, and that you make a great first impression, is by asking yourself: ‘If they are going to take away just one thing that they remember about me, what would I like it to be?’ Then focus on putting that one thing across to them in the best way possible. Here are a few ideas to help you along the way:
Think about the one thing that your new contact needs to know about you. Why does this one thing set you apart from everyone else at the event?
Why would this thing make your new contact want to talk with you more?
Think about how this thing might be helpful to your new lead.
Now write down your pitch in just a few sentences, making sure you include your ideas from the first three points given here.
When you have chosen your main topic to talk about, write this down in the centre of a piece of paper. Now, think of all the things that you could talk about relating to this first idea to take the conversation forward to avoid that ever-awkward moment of silence when a conversation goes stale! Write these things down around your central idea.
Next, think of all the things your contact might ask or say during this conversation. Write down suitable responses to be prepared, so you are not lost for words with the unexpected!
Once your pitch is ready, with a focus on the ‘one thing’ that you would like your contact to take away from the conversation, remember to update your Shakehands app to highlight this. You can mention your ‘one thing’ in your profile, depending on what it is, you might want to put it in the current project section, list it as one of your interests or even set it as your status. This way, your new contact might just approach YOU at the event, as they will see this information on your profile!
Remember that while having a pitch is a great way to approach a new contact, it is often said that the best conversationalist talk about other people. Don’t get too caught up with selling yourself; finding out about your new contact and their interests is important too. Make this part of your pitch. Think about the type of people you want to meet at the event. Think about your ideal new contact and ask yourself:
What are their interests?
What type of projects are they working on?
Think of a list of questions and conversation topics that will help you hit it off with this ‘ideal contact’ based on your previous ideas.
Show your best side to your new contacts, be clear about what you want them to take away from your first meeting and make sure that you let them know that you’re interested in them and what they do! Networking well is not a numbers game; it is about making lasting, valuable relationships with people. Being prepared is a key factor in this – put effort in to honing your networking skills and you should see lasting results!
Shakehands can help with your pitch by showing you exactly what interests your potential contact: from what they’re working on right now to their general interests. Make sure you use everything you know about them to make your pitch work! Read more about this feature: ‘Feature Focus: How Can I Use the ‘Interests’ Feature on the Shakehands App?’
Why not drop us a line on social media and let us know how this tip worked for you this week? Find us on Twitter or Facebook. You can also find our company page on LinkedIn.
Baber et al. 2015. Strategic Connections: The New Face of Networking in a Collaborative World, page 34. Find this book on Amazon.
Willis, J. & Todorov, A. 2006. ‘First Impressions’, in Psychological Science, vol. 12, no. 7.
