[thelist] [OT] a day at a conference...

aardvark roselli at earthlink.net
Wed Mar 6 09:03:03 CST 2002


> From: Erick Papadakis <erick_papadakis at yahoo.com>
[...]
> so i have a question for you guys. what does one do to
> network? i mean, at a conference, how do you really
> start out with total strangers who are 10-15 years
> older than you and are there looking for "business
> opportunities"? do you just like hand over a business
> card and say "hi i am erick and i have been getting
> drunk for the past 32 years, and oh by the way i am
> REALLY interested in you and your company"?
[...]

this is no small task, and can render even the most self-assured
member of society a babbling idiot... remember that everyone there
is thinking the same thing, and those who look like they can do it
are only taking advantage of everyone else's fear of doing it -- it's
easier to do it when you think you have the upper hand...

my tricks:

- don't be afraid to look stupid...
- find something to talk about, anything; even how little there is to
talk about...
- smile...

i went to SXSW last year, and one thing that certainly got me over
any reservations about talking to complete strangers was doing an
open mic (Fray Cafe) early on while there... ok, i was tricked into
it... the point is, nothing seemed as bad after that...

nothing...




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