From the course: Professional Networking
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Build meaningful connections
From the course: Professional Networking
Build meaningful connections
- A lot of people shy away from networking because they don't like awkward smalltalk. Actually, no one does, myself included. I don't ever want to waste my time gabbing with a stranger about the weather, or baseball scores, or whether they like the hors d'oeuvres. But thankfully, it doesn't have to be that way. Here's how to have real and meaningful conversations with new contacts. First, whenever possible, research them in advance. It's not always feasible, but in some situations, you're going to know who's at an event. For instance, it's highly likely that members of the host committee will be at a fundraiser, or that someone who's active in the Chamber of Commerce will be at their holiday party. Or their colleague might go to his professional association's annual conference. In that case, you can research them in advance, so you know a little more about them, and their backgrounds and interests, so you can steer…
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