Networking. A tool and term that is so overused and overworked they really should come up with a new word for it - just so I can say something else!
There are probably a million books dedicated to every nuance of networking, so won't go into the obvious tips about dressing the part, business cards, icebreakers, etc. This post is dedicated to one a golden nugget that has proven profitable for me time and time again....
One of the most well used strategies of working a room at a networking event is to find out where Power Players and People of Influence/Status are located in the room and garner some engaging face-time. In the case of keynote speakers, after they concluded their remarks eager throngs of savvy professionals stand in line and wait their turn to speak and ignore the goldmine standing right beside them - THE GATEKEEPER!
Yes. The Gatekeeper. It is the road less traveled when it comes to successful networking. Many power players travel with Assistants and their office phones are answered by Receptionists. These people are overlooked everyday and regarded as the dreaded "gatekeepers". Most people want to know how to get past the gatekeeper - not how to engage them. But I would like to suggest engaging the gatekeepers is a proven strategy to networking.
Think about it, they know the Power Player's schedule, personality, preferences but moreover they are a wealth of knowledge because they are the filter by which the Power Player receives their information. So they very literally see it ALL. My advice, in most cases, bypass the Power Player and go for the gatekeeper.
The very first thing you may find is that they are shocked and might initially find your interest disingenuous. They are used to people trying to get past them instead of engaging them. If you can, persist through the initial snub and prove your interest. Here are three quick tips:
1) DO YOUR HOMEWORK - Know a little bit about them before you call - the internet makes that helpful. Before I landed my job as Assistant to VP of Publicity at Warner Bros. Television. I did a search on the internet and read everything I could find about my potential boss and emailed her a note (while I was in the HR process) - letting her know I was impressed with her career track and listed a few of her jobs and awards. I mentioned that we both loved True Blood ( I found that tidbit on social website) and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to "Sookie" in the next season. The email was only two paragraphs quick and to the point. I got the job!
2) ASK ABOUT THEM / HELP THEM - Try not to reference the Power Player they work for - since they are expecting it to be your ultimate goal. Remember, they are skeptical about your genuine interest. Is there something you have that makes their work easier? I once shared an Excel spreadsheet with formulas pre-loaded to an Assistant and was forever in her debt. Ask them for their insight instead of the Power Player.
3) TAKE THEM TO LUNCH - You've got to get from behind emails and the phone to navigate a real relationship - face-to-face is better. Be careful, don't use the lunch to pitch them, really get to know them. Listen more than you talk. Build questions/comments off current discussion. Don't just run down a list of prepared questions. Ask engaging questions like 'What are the challenges to your work?', 'What advice would you give me about _____?' or "What on your To Do List is on the back-burner but definitely on your radar - How can I help you with that?" or "If you had to redo your college days over, what would you do differently?" Side Note: In college, I made it a practice to take journalists/editors to lunch to just chat. Its how I first discovered that nothing but a hard deadline will keep a media professional from a free meal. They were impressed and intrigued by my professional assertiveness (I also learned I had to leave my credit card with the waitress since many of them felt guilty having a college student treating them. But it WORKED!)
THE STRATEGY:
Building a relationship with the gatekeeper is just as profitable as the Power Player. They are often the muscle behind the Power Player's punch. In other words, the Power Player cannot do it without their gatekeeper don't overlook them - get them on your team.
There are probably a million books dedicated to every nuance of networking, so won't go into the obvious tips about dressing the part, business cards, icebreakers, etc. This post is dedicated to one a golden nugget that has proven profitable for me time and time again....
One of the most well used strategies of working a room at a networking event is to find out where Power Players and People of Influence/Status are located in the room and garner some engaging face-time. In the case of keynote speakers, after they concluded their remarks eager throngs of savvy professionals stand in line and wait their turn to speak and ignore the goldmine standing right beside them - THE GATEKEEPER!
Yes. The Gatekeeper. It is the road less traveled when it comes to successful networking. Many power players travel with Assistants and their office phones are answered by Receptionists. These people are overlooked everyday and regarded as the dreaded "gatekeepers". Most people want to know how to get past the gatekeeper - not how to engage them. But I would like to suggest engaging the gatekeepers is a proven strategy to networking.
Think about it, they know the Power Player's schedule, personality, preferences but moreover they are a wealth of knowledge because they are the filter by which the Power Player receives their information. So they very literally see it ALL. My advice, in most cases, bypass the Power Player and go for the gatekeeper.
The very first thing you may find is that they are shocked and might initially find your interest disingenuous. They are used to people trying to get past them instead of engaging them. If you can, persist through the initial snub and prove your interest. Here are three quick tips:
1) DO YOUR HOMEWORK - Know a little bit about them before you call - the internet makes that helpful. Before I landed my job as Assistant to VP of Publicity at Warner Bros. Television. I did a search on the internet and read everything I could find about my potential boss and emailed her a note (while I was in the HR process) - letting her know I was impressed with her career track and listed a few of her jobs and awards. I mentioned that we both loved True Blood ( I found that tidbit on social website) and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to "Sookie" in the next season. The email was only two paragraphs quick and to the point. I got the job!
2) ASK ABOUT THEM / HELP THEM - Try not to reference the Power Player they work for - since they are expecting it to be your ultimate goal. Remember, they are skeptical about your genuine interest. Is there something you have that makes their work easier? I once shared an Excel spreadsheet with formulas pre-loaded to an Assistant and was forever in her debt. Ask them for their insight instead of the Power Player.
3) TAKE THEM TO LUNCH - You've got to get from behind emails and the phone to navigate a real relationship - face-to-face is better. Be careful, don't use the lunch to pitch them, really get to know them. Listen more than you talk. Build questions/comments off current discussion. Don't just run down a list of prepared questions. Ask engaging questions like 'What are the challenges to your work?', 'What advice would you give me about _____?' or "What on your To Do List is on the back-burner but definitely on your radar - How can I help you with that?" or "If you had to redo your college days over, what would you do differently?" Side Note: In college, I made it a practice to take journalists/editors to lunch to just chat. Its how I first discovered that nothing but a hard deadline will keep a media professional from a free meal. They were impressed and intrigued by my professional assertiveness (I also learned I had to leave my credit card with the waitress since many of them felt guilty having a college student treating them. But it WORKED!)
THE STRATEGY:
Building a relationship with the gatekeeper is just as profitable as the Power Player. They are often the muscle behind the Power Player's punch. In other words, the Power Player cannot do it without their gatekeeper don't overlook them - get them on your team.
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