An important part of working in the public relations industry is making connections, especially through networking. Whether you’re working an event, attending a conference, or even at a Flames game on a Friday night, there are always new connections to be made.
As the Calgary Stampede has just wrapped up here in town – a major networking opportunity for Calgarians and visitors to the city alike – we thought we’d create a handy cheatsheet with some of our team’s best networking tips:
Arleigh | Principal | @ArleighGV
Over the years I’ve been to and participated in countless networking events and opportunities, and I think the biggest piece of advice that I’d like to share is twofold. First, set yourself a goal for why you’re networking in the first place. Is it to build contacts? Meet interesting peers in your industry? Or simply learn how to interact with people in the same sector as you? Having a goal, which doesn’t always have to be about winning new business, is important as it will help you with my second point. My second bit of advice is to be selective about the events that you attend. By that I mean, don’t just attend every and any event or networking opportunity because you can, as you’ll end up feeling like most of the time you’re wasting your time… By researching an event beforehand you’ll be able to select and attend the ones that will be of value to you to attend, and therefore you’ll leave feeling satisfied with the time you spent.
Meghan | Senior Account Manager | @TheAgencyMeghan
Have a game plan (or as Taylor Swift calls them – #squadgoals). For a lot of people, myself included, networking requires work. So, make your game plan. Decide what kind of people you want to meet, search out the events and then once you have found the events, RSVP and actually go. I know a lot of people who makes comments like ‘oh I meant to go to that Young Professionals mixer, but something came up’. If you make the commitment to yourself that you are going to go, hold yourself accountable for going. The other part of your game plan should be having your elevator pitch ready. In mine, in addition to hitting all the key points about who I am and what do I do, I usually try to insert a little humor to help break the ice and start the conversation. For example, I often tell people I am the ‘Chief Cat Herder’ at The Agency, as I project manage all internal and client workflow, which requires a lot of chasing of people. This makes people laugh, and often they have project management experience and they can relate. This prep work also helps you feel more comfortable when you walk into an event.
Heidi | Content & Editorial Manager | @TheAgencyHeidi
I am an outgoing person for the most part. However, I have always found networking to be an incredibly intimidating task. I’ve since learned that networking is best when you go into them with an open mind. If you get nervous enough at these events like I do, and you go into them with the expectation that you need to come away with an immediate business win every time, you may be creating a more daunting and most likely unrealistic situation for yourself. Networking is about building connections and relationships, which takes time. Mix, mingle, and be genuine. You never know who you are going to meet.
Kelsey | Account Executive | @TheAgencyKelsey
Being new to the industry, my networking experiences have been limited. That being said, I’ve had one experience from which I learned a very important lesson: always carry your business cards with you. I once got into a great conversation with a local entrepreneur about public relations and what it has to offer startups, and as the conversation came to a close I was asked for my business card… which I did not have. Writing your name, company, and email on a bar napkin, while it did work out for me, is definitely not the most professional form of networking. Always have some business cards on hand – you never know when you might strike up a conversation with a prospective client!
Have a networking tip you’d like to share? Let us know on Twitter at @PRTheAgency or in the comment section below!
