Many of us enjoy attending parties this time of year as an opportunity to meet with old friends and let off some of the stress the previous 11 months has built up.
But these gatherings, said the founder of Red Zone Marketing LLC, are also a prime place to plant the seeds of new business relationships.
Maribeth Kuzmeski says, "There's no other time of the year when you'll have so many events to attend which also translate to more opportunities to network! But whether you're the life of the party or full of social anxiety when it comes to holiday events, it's important that you go into them armed and ready to make the most of your time with every holiday well-wisher you encounter."
She has four tips for sales people to consider in order to maximize their holiday party schmoozing.
Have a plan of action before you go. "First, think about which contacts are the most important to you, and make a point to speak to each of them during the event (instead of hiding behind the dessert bar the entire night!)," she said.
Let them do the talking (You ask the questions). There's nothing worse than coming away from a great networking opportunity realizing that you didn't capitalize on the situation. As you work the crowds this holiday season, be sure to have more in your arsenal than small talk.
Be prepared to pitch yourself in 15 seconds. Nobody wants to hear a long sales pitch at a holiday gathering.
"The key to an effective pitch is keeping it short while still including your biggest wins," Ms. Kuzmeski explains.
The party may end, but your connection shouldn't. Be proactive after the event by taking the time to enter the data from the new connections made into your contact database. Include reminders of interesting or remarkable things that people said or that you learned so that you won't forget them and can refer back to them in later conversations. And be sure to use social media to keep in touch. This includes inviting these new contacts to join your network on a service such as LinkedIn.
For more information about Ms. Kuzmeski, please visit
