Name tags and networking events

Got another letter yesterday, now it’s up to 6 or 7 of the same letter. Should I write them a letter asking that they send me a check for the money they are wasting on me instead of sending me letters?

On to this week’s tip!

The other day I went to a multi chamber mixer. At least five chambers were there (lots of new people to network with). A friend of mine, a salesman with over 20 years of experience, attended with me (we carpooled). Once we got there, we went our separate ways to network.

On the drive back to his car, we talked about the event and how we did. He mentioned he talked to one person who asked why he did not have a name tag on. He told them two stories, I’ll share the 2nd one with you.

The first one was personal and about a previous boss and BIG name tags. In the 2nd story my friend states that he used to have what he calls the car salesman mentality, in that he sized up people as he met them and decided if they could become a customer. By looking at people’s name tags he had their name, company and title that he could use to qualify or eliminate anyone before he even interacted with them.

What he has learned over the years is that the name tag says one thing, but that does not mean that he or she is not the correct person or knows the correct person to talk to. He now believes that not wearing a name tag forces people to talk to each other and eliminates the snap judgement we can all make about each other.

At your next networking event, don’t wear your name tag and act as if everyone else is not wearing one; then you will be doing real networking.

Philip Freedman