10 #LinkedIn tips for holiday parties

Where did 2017 go? I recall as a kid that a year took forever. Now it seems each year flies by, supersonically. We are fast approaching the time for holiday parties and group get-togethers, either business or social. Or a combination.

Expect to meet new people? Anticipate reacquainting with others? Catching up with old friends?

Get a hold of the attendee list and earmark a few you want to meet and greet. Memorize their headshot so you can spot them in a crowd and approach them. Research how they describe themselves and their work on LinkedIn to see where you share alma maters, common threads, or mutual interests. Bringing these mutual factors into the conversation makes you more interesting, as you explore deeper connectivity. It's not being creepy--it's smart business conversation.

As part of that conversation, let them know your value proposition, not overselling, but being proud of what you bring to the proverbial table. Perhaps they need your services. Perhaps they know others who do. Perhaps they don’t realize it yet. Perhaps someone in the room will speak to them a bit later on and that makes you an immediate and available referral. No time like the present!

It's a process. You have to work it:

• In your initial contact, is your elevator pitch really honed? Is the listener stimulated enough by your self-introduction to ask a follow-up question? That’s the goal…two-sided conversation. Make it happen even if it seems a bit awkward at first. The ice breaks when you bring in personal warmth.
• When it’s your turn, as you converse, are you asking open questions like "why do you do what you do?" or "what are you really proud you accomplished this year?" and how about "what unique aspects of your work makes you someone I can refer?" rather than the dull “what do you do?” Start with those three and see where it goes.
• Are you probing them in conversation for ways you can solve an issue, or work better with them–express how you or your connection(s) indeed can help them.
• How are you going to be memorable in other ways based in this short meeting? Tell us. Chances are there are others in the room whose job is similar to yours. Are you amazing-er than them? Show in gestures and tell in rich words how.
• Did you make it easy to find and read about you on LinkedIn, where you tell further in your own words, “why you?" Is your mobile number on your profile for the texters among us? Is your email address there too? If you blog, do you provide a link? When (if) it's appropriate to exchange business cards, does yours show your personalized LinkedIn profile URL for further information on you?
• If you are impressed with the other person, and you sense they are with you, did you offer to arrange another meeting over coffee or lunch to find more enhanced ways to continue a collaborative relationship? Do follow up.
• Later....And at the end of that second face-to-face follow-up meeting when you went deeper and broader in ways to collaborate, and only if you like that other person, respect that other person, think that other person is refer-able to your entourage, did you agree to connect on LinkedIn? No one is making you; you have to want to include them in the entourage you surround yourself with, and are seen associating with.
• In your LinkedIn connection invitation, did you personalize it, giving context, referencing what you discussed, and a call to action so you both actually connect and nurture the budding relationship?
• And finally once connected, did you on-board that new connection with an article they might enjoy to prove you nurture your new relationships?
• And please continually nurture them as a valued connection!

You have some work to do, even if you are at a party, and especially thereafter.

This can be enjoyable and a beneficial investment for you in your new colleague. It’s a process, on into the new year.

Happy holiday party season. Be safe.

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About Marc W. Halpert, LinkedIn Trainer and Evangelist

I am a “multi-preneur,” (www.linkedin.com/in/marchalpert) having started 3 companies, all of which I continue to operate. My latest business, connect2collaborate, spreads my LinkedIn and networking evangelism worldwide to train and coach others to better explain their brand and positioning on their LinkedIn profile pages:

• as an “evangelist” recognized by LinkedIn to help nonprofits cultivate talent pool, volunteers, boards, and corporate sponsors.
• as a LinkedIn corporate trainer.
• as a coach helping professional practitioners use LinkedIn to better achieve their goals.
• as a high-energy speaker at conferences.
• as a volunteer coaching and teaching the underemployed to master new better career objectives.

I blog daily on LinkedIn topics to encourage readers towards a more beneficial use of this amazing tool. I speak about LinkedIn at public events and private corporate sessions too. I was very pleased to be named to the LinkedIn 200 and my book published by the American Bar Association “LinkedIn Marketing Techniques for Law and Professional Practices” was released June 2, 2017. A new book on LinkedIn for nonprofit professional is in the works!

I welcome your comments on other LinkedIn tips you use at holiday parties.