5 ways I used SummerMash to get more business

Sometimes I like to defy gravity.

I learned this from my 6th grade girlfriend.

Creativity can go a long way.

This past Wednesday, the folks over at Mashable.com threw a rager at Buffalo Billiards and were nice enough to pick up the tab! Not only did I have a blast, but I have already picked up a few clients interested in either marketing, PR, social media, video production or the whole lot. Here’s how I approached SummerMash and how I try to go into every conference or mixer I attend:

5 ways I used SummerMash to get more business:

1. Be prepared. This first one is a no-brainer, but seeing as I met more than a few people who disobeyed this rule, I’ll go ahead and mention it. When you go to a networking event, make sure you have a business card or SOMETHING with your contact information on it. It’s hard to pick up new clients if they don’t know how to contact you.
2. Be creative. It’s a networking event. Unless, they were breaking rule number 1, EVERYONE is going to be passing out business cards. Does yours stand out? Does it say something about you that will make me remember you? The more you can do to make me remember you, the better. Because, trust me, when there is an open bar, you’re going to have to be pretty darn creative to get people to remember you.
3. Be personable, but time conscious. If you’re attending a small event, this isn’t as important, but with a huge blowout party like SummerMash Austin, you’ve got a lot of people to meet in a very little amount of time. So, have a quick pitch on what you do and get your contact information in their hands ASAP. Now listen to their pitch (oh, side note: have a pitch), when you have a good idea what they do, tell them how great it was to meet them and assure them that you will be in contact soon. And you’re out! Now, of course, you want to gauge this on a case to case basis, but let’s face it, an open bar is not a good place to get into all the gory details of your business. Make a good case for yourself and then talk shop when everyone is sober.
4. Know thy cameraman. This one isn’t mandatory, but I throw it in because I love having my picture taken. But, make sure you’re being photographed with other people. At event’s like SummerMash, people will post the photos they are in all over the web and then tag all of the people in them. If you’re in photos with a lot of people, guess what, that means their entire community is about to find out who you are. Plus, isn’t taking photos fun? As an added bonus, go to the event’s official Flickr feed and comment on the photos your in. Not many people do this and if you’re the first to comment, a decent amount of people will read your comments. Make sure to link back to your blog. ;)
5. Follow up. And I’ll end with another no-brainer. You know that big wad of cardboard you found in your pockets when you woke up this morning? Those are business cards and they represent all of the amazing people you met the night before. Go through each of them and look at all of the websites; reacquaint yourself with the people you met and then shoot them all an email telling them how much you enjoyed your brief meeting. Now, is a good time to request a follow up meeting to talk in more depth. Make sure you find everyone on Facebook, Twitter and the slew of other social networks you might populate, so that your new friends will have no option but to pay attention to you. ;)

See, wasn’t that easy! If you follow those 5 tips every time you go to a networking event, you’ll have so much business, you won’t know what to do! Just think if everyone in your organization was as tenacious a networker as you are? Yeah, that penthouse office is becoming more of a reality everyday, isn’t it? ;)

I had an amazing time at SummerMash, was able to catch up with many old friends and made some great new contacts. Thanks to Mashable.com and everyone else that made SummerMash Austin possible.

Here are some of the great new people I met. Not on this list? Then you didn’t give me your card. Shame on you. Shoot me an e.mail if we met at SummerMash and I’ll throw you on the list.

(no particular order, other than this is how they fell out of my bag)

1. Paul Terry Walhus - Web Designer - Spring.net
2. Dee Dee Dial - Sr. Recruiting Consultant - BazaarVoice
3. Chris Mullins - Product Management - Social Media
4. Jeremy Arntz - Web Application Developer - Jaduka
5. Clint Howell - Senior Account Executive - BusinessWire
6. Dane Hurtubise - Student - Electrical Engineering
7. Bill Erickson - New Media Entrepreneur
   

8. Allison Allen - Founder - WomenBloom.com
9. Holt Hackney - Managing Director - Hackney Communications
10. Hayes Davis - Founder & CEO - Appozite.com
11. Jenn Deering Davis - Chief of Community Experience - Appozite.com
12. John West - Digital Media, IPTV & Web 2.0
13. Aaron Novak - Marketing - Stickam
14. Oscar Tijerina - Blog Catalog
15. Eve Richter - City of Austin - Economic Growth & Redevelopment Services
16. Jason Domangue - Vice President of Marketing - uControl
17. Mark J. Schmulen - NutshellMail
18. Yoono - Awesome Photo Sponsor and Firefox Social App
19. Michael Cummings - Awesome Photographer
20. Kristine Gloria - Austin 3.0

Did I mention that SummerMash Austin was awesome! ;)

I’m officing out of Conjunctured as of today. Swing by and meet everyone!

or you can subscribe via RSS or e.mail.

Tagged as: austin, conjunctured, how to, jon ray, Marketing/PR, mashable, networking, open bar, pr, social media, something, summermash, texas, tips, twenty, twenty-something, video production