There is never a more true saying than “80% of Success is Showing Up.” This means the remaining 20% is what you do when you get there. While purchasing a ticket and attending the Largest Mixer is an important first step in the process to networking success, it’s what you do once you arrive that will make the difference. Now we offer activities at the Largest Mixer to make it easier for you to identify and stimulate introductions like offering networking lounges, TEAM Referral Network conducts speed networking sessions, and obviously the individual exhibitors are standing by to greet you. Beside these great opportunities what other things can you do to ensure you have a successful Largest Mixer experience?  Here we go …

1. Make sure to wear a name tag. Wearing a name tag personalizes you and makes you more approachable. People are much more likely to extend a hand if they know your name. Not wearing a name tag at a business or networking function communicates you wish to remain anonymous. If you wanted to be anonymous you won’t be at the Largest Mixer right!
2. Take off your sales hat. You are at the Largest Mixer to meet other business people who in time you might develop a relationship with. No one likes to be sold to be someone they don’t know plus it takes the focus away from the person you are trying to engage. Remember it’s called networking and not selling for a reason.
3. Let your guard down. Be actively open to meeting people you may not otherwise meet due to age, gender, ethnicity or some other difference. No one type of person has a monopoly on business success.
4. Meet and move-on. Yes, you need to take sufficient time to connect with any new person you meet during the Largest Mixer and secure their information for a later conversation, but then exit and move on to the next person. Having one or two conversations that monopolize your entire evening keeps you from meeting another 8, 10, or 12 other people that might be great connections for building a successful business relationship. Don’t leave these opportunities on the table.
5. Stay off your phone. Unless you are inputting someone’s contact information that you just met at the Mixer keep your phone in your pocket. Being on your phone says I’m busy and uninterested in meeting others.
6. Don’t forget your business cards and have a system for managing those you collect. A business card is still a must at any networking event and believe it or not people show-up at the Largest Mixer without them. Ugh!
7. Bring a co-worker or two. The Largest Mixer is a big event and dividing up is sometimes the best way to really cover all of the networking opportunities. Most importantly don’t stick together as a pack as it’s intimidating and very difficult for others to engage you when you are surrounding by other people. Divide-and-conquer.
8. Follow-up, follow-up and … follow-up. Shortly after the Mixer make sure to follow-up with a note, email, phone call, etc. to continue the conversation you started at the Largest Mixer. A new contact that goes cold could be a huge missed opportunity.