Chapter 18: Networking
Once you enter the space where potential partners or clients are spending their time, it’s important to be prepared. In Los Angeles, whenever my partners and I would go to a party in the hills, we would have specific goals. We know person X and Y are going to be there - person X just got back from a trip to Dubai, so we’ll ask them how that went. They specialize in these areas, and I know from checking out social media that they have an interest in cars, or clothes, or whatever, so I’ll make sure to talk to them about that interest. In the car on the way to the party we would review the 2-5 people we wanted to talk to, and learn as much about them as possible beforehand. The idea is to be memorable to these people when you approach them, so entering the conversation with some planned common ground ahead of time is a distinct advantage. In essence - KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. This is not fundamentally different from marketing your product to consumers. Instead, you’re marketing yourself to a person. The more research you can do ahead of time, about their likes, dislikes, personal interests, business skills, etc., the better.