Want To Connect At SXSW Whether You Have A Ticket Or Not?

I love this time of year in Austin.  There's a creative funky vibe that fills the air as March picks up steam.  And it's more than just the beautiful spring weather that's blown in to take memories of the past cool winter months away for another year.  No it's SXSW time in Austin, Texas and the air is right for connecting!

SXSW is an amazing conference that brings the best and the brightest from music, film and a technology (interactive everything - web, gaming, technology, business) together for 9 days.  Having spoken an attended SXSW previously I have to say those who are lucky enough to score a ticket to this year's conference are in for a treat.  Not just from the amazing sessions, music and films one can see but for the incredible people one can meet, engage and connect with.

Everyone knows that attending sessions is a great place to meet people.  It's the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation as you're waiting for a panel to begin or a speaker to take the stage.  Although many people miss this golden opportunity to ENGAGE.  They settle into their seat and immediately start playing on their laptops or fiddling with their Blackberries or IPhones. 

Want to connect? try unconnecting for a little while.  Put away the devices and engage the person next to you, in front of you or behind you.  Ask them what brought them to this session?  Ask them what sessions they've already attended and what did they like?  Ask them for any recommendations on sessions you shouldn't miss.  Ask them where they're from and how they like Austin.  Share with them what you love about Austin and what should be on their not to miss lists while they are here.

Each of these simple but powerful conversation starters will get you engaged in conversation and perhaps connecting with someone that could prove to be a powerful resource, professional alliance, a ticket to a great party (hey it happens - I met some powerful people from Pay Pal one year), or heck just a new friend.  Not a half bad result any way you slice it if you ask me!

But you don't just have to have a ticket to capitalize on all the hub bub but you do have to participate.


Let me explain.

Let's say you don't have a ticket to this year's SXSW....no problem!  There are tons of places in and around the convention center that people will be hanging out.  Coffee shops, bars, restaurants galore are within walking distance of the Austin Convention Center.   All places guaranteed to be packed with tons of people who are attending the conference or simply want to be near the incredible vibe that permeates downtown Austin.  This means there is no shortage of engagement, connection and conversation opportunities!

If you don't know where to go check out the Serious Eats BLOG for some great ideas.


Regardless of whether you are attending the conference or not you can still strike up incredible conversations with those who are.  In fact in year's past, I've made even more connections hanging out at the local coffee shop, grabbing a mid-afternoon beer (met one of the Flickr Executives doing that) or just going to one of the bars or clubs after hours than I have in many of the conference sessions.  In fact engaging those people in conversation you meet "out and about" is even easier because there's no speaker about to go on stage or other conference distractions to limit your conversation time.  If the conversation goes well you might just find yourself downing more than one cup of coffee or multiple beers and is that such a bad thing?  I should think not!


So how do you engage those people that you see out and about?  I knew what you were thinking before you even thought it. 

Why you Ripple your way to starting a conversation of course!

You might start with a question like....

So are you attending SXSW?  How do you like it so far?

Where are you from?

So what do you think of Austin so far?

What sessions, bands or films are you excited to see?

What portion of the conference are you most excited about?

The point is it takes very little to get the conversation ball rolling and whether you are actually attending or not, this next week and half opens up so many opportunities for you to engage in some amazing conversation opportunities with incredible people from around the world.  Don't let it pass you by just because you may not have a ticket.  There's too much cool stuff going on that's free or near free to not be doing your own SXSW 2010 tour.

I'm off to speak at Microsoft and so bummed to be missing my own connecting opportunities.  So do me a favor...pinch hit for me will ya?  Go create some connections and make some lasting Ripples.  Trust me...you can thank me and fill me in on your people adventures later over a beer!

Ripple On!!!

Steve On Networking

Maura Thomas, friend, colleague and all-around Rippler recently invited me to speak to one of her business groups in South Austin. Here's a short clip from that event.

For those of you receiving this via RSS feed or other reader platform you can find the link by clicking here: http://budurl.com/tssq



If you have an organization that is struggling with how to best go build connections with prospective customers, current customers or simply need some new ideas and strategies to strengthen relationships within your own company, I would be honored if you would consider me. The Ripple is a powerful concept and is needed now more than ever!

Ripple On!!!

Networking Death Row

I begrudgingly attended a few weeks ago a new networking organization that recently launched here in Austin. It was billed as being a "different kind of networking group" with strong focus on developing relationships rather than just leads. The invitation came from someone I know here really well and he was mainly interested in my perspective of their supposedly new core concept and ultimately their "hot offer" to join up.

I used to have a salty old dog district manager from my days with Xerox that had a saying that went something like, "You can put perfume on a pig but it's still a pig and son, pigs just plain stink." I never forgot his lesson. Just like a leopard can't change its spots, you simply can't make something appear to be something that it so obviously isn't. It was great advice and I heard it ring through my cerebral chamber more than once during this event.

It always amazes me how many eager professionals believe that thrusting a business card in your face, before even knowing who you really are, will somehow unlock King Solomon's mines of opportunity. Can you, just for a minute see the unhappy and quickly becoming miserable Steve in your mind's eye? Good job!!! This group that was so focused on being different that almost by extension of its new fangled approach promoted the same casual and assuming business prostituting that every other group does out there in the world. Just now remembering how miserable I was in their "mixer activity" almost made me throw up in my mouth a little....again!

Don't get my wrong, I really try hard not to make fun of these kinds of events. I understand that for some business people they absolutely have a purpose and a place. I also know most people who attend think they are giving their best effort to promote and grow their business. I just have a fundamental disagreement as to how they go through the motions of actually doing it.

But people I am not a cheap first date. You can't show me a flashy business card and a million dollar smile and expect my wallet or contact database to automatically open. It is soulless and I would never want to do business with, nor share opportunities with, people who go through the motions because they have to. Call me crazy but that's just me! Yay...I am a networking prude. You can say it! (SMILE)

If you have read my BLOG for any length of time you know that networking in these kinds of environments isn't how I grew, now three successful companies. But I know you might be saying to yourself, "But then why do you keep going Steve!" I think I go because I am either gluten for punishment or I do really have a screw loose.

Seriously, I keep going to these better mouse trap events and end up getting my tail caught in an endless string of 30 second elevator speeches and "so what do you do?" questions. I go because I guess I do keep hoping that someone will really do more than talk about creating a different approach and actually do it. Hmmm wait a minute...someone has, I think it's called The 8 Minute Ripple! More on our latest successful event soon.

As my friend and I got up from the table where the networking lunch portion had just ended he could tell I was ready to bolt. It might have been the Clark Kent looking for a phone booth kind of air I had about me or the fact I really needed to get out there before the heebee jeebees that I had developed started catching. Seriously, I thanked my friend for inviting me and knowing his business suggested he try it again without the Ripple Man sitting across the table from him looking like a prisoner outside the execution chamber.

My last word of advice to him was go back and join if you think it is a fit.

He passed.

Ripple On My Friends!!!

But whatever you do...

STOP NETWORKING. START CONNECTING.™

Avoid Foot In Mouth Disease

Nothing will short circuit an important business relationship quicker than introducing a professional colleague (or someone from your network/community) to someone else and not fully understanding what it is that they actually do. Though the person you are just introducing your colleague to will hopefully have no idea you bungled the introduction, rest assured your colleague will and it can and will cause some serious damage to your relationship. Likely to the point of never being able to recover it!

I attended a function yesterday where I had the unfortunate pleasure of witnessing this happen first hand. A sales representative whom I know brought someone over to introduce them to me. She started off by saying "Steve this is my good friend BLAH BLAH and I just had to introduce you two. BLAH BLAH does X and is one of the best in the business. At my former company she was the only one I ever used for Y and we are about to start using her here at the new company."

Someone quick get an egg.....we have a face!

Blah Blah's expression completely changed from one of open friendliness to one that showed just the growing fringe of major annoyance and quite possibly a side of violence.

"Actually....I haven't done that in nearly a year. I now do Duh Duh Duh," Blah Blah arched with a marked edginess to her tone.

Obviously it was an uncomfortable position to be in but I tried to save the day with a welcoming tone, acknowledging smile and a firm handshake. But as you can imagine the damage was done. Blah Blah wasn't interested in me or my work at that point. No, all she cared about was getting away from "her good friend" who didn't seem to know her well enough to know she had changed careers some time back.

I won't go into further detail as to how this sales rep dug herself in a deeper whole by acknowledging that she had no idea she had changed jobs and did she (brace yourself) think that her knew company would need what she the sales rep was selling.

Idiot party of one!

Let's just say that the temperature in that place turned a modest -31F and you could call the time of death on that relationship (what little there appeared to be in the first place). No amount of mouth to mouth or mouth to ass is going to save that one!

My point is before you ever make an effort to introduce someone make sure you know the lay of the land. Take some time to reengage and catch up before you start introducing them around. Make sure you don't ever "oversell" someone as a good friend, colleague, customer, etc. if they clearly are not. The time you take will help you from catching the often fatal foot in mouth disease!

One last thing....and I think this is a great advice if I do say so myself. If you are going to be hanging around people you know and there is a likelihood you will be put in a position to introduce them around, then ASK THEM HOW THEY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE THEM. Simple. Easy. Straightforward. Oh yeah....and smart! Trust me your stock in their eyes will go up tremendously because you took the time to care!

Until next time....


Ripple On!!!

Steve Harper


P.S. Don't forget to check out our Ripplehead IPOD contest from Monday's BLOG post.

Peas Aren't What Define You

Okay...I have to admit that this post is a few days past due. I apologize for that. My wife surprised me with a little pre-Birthday get away and I had limited access to the Internet.

As promised, here is part two of my discussion with my prospective client about not bringing out the peas before they are ready.

"But Steve, if I am not talking about my business what is there to talk about?"

I often get this question when I talk about making a personal connection before jumping right in and talking business. I am actually quite surprised that some people can't seem to see the value in themselves without utilizing the peas (career, product, service, industry, etc.) as a mechanism to define who they are.

Quick word of advice.....

The peas do not define you. It is simply what you do or what you offer.

You define you!

You are the common denominator here. You....You....You....!

You are what people want to get to know. You are where the stories come from. You are what reaches out and makes an otherwise mundane random connection personal and potential profitable.

Peas have no personality. Peas have no sass.

Peas don't tell a story. Peas aren't usually interesting.

Peas are.....well, just peas. You get me?

As my prospective client and I continued to talk I could sense that he was uncomfortable with my advice. I continued to probe him about why the prospect of being himself made him uneasy in a business situation. To which he answered, "It just seems unnatural. I guess I am more comfortable talking about business than I am trying to get personal with someone I just met."

To which I explained and reminded him of a very important aspect of business.

People do business with people they know, like and trust. No matter how hard you try, no matter how well you make them look and of course no matter how great you say they taste, your peas, as peas, fail to help people know you, like you and trust you.

YOU influence whether people want to know you, how quickly they like you and how you interact and how interesting you make that connection lays the foundation for building trust in you. I submit the quickest and most successful way to do that is to Ripple yourself to be better connections by separating yourself from the rest of the herd. There are no rules.

Well...other than mine and which is....

Keep your peas in your pocket be the You that is You!

Ripple On My Friends!

Steve

Keep Your Peas In Your Pocket and Make a Real Connection

The other day I was having lunch with a potential client and the subject of networking came up. This business leader mentioned that he had heard a number of positive things about my 8 Minute Ripple events and wondered how they might be different than the general business mixers and chamber luncheons he was accustomed to attending.

When we began talking about the 8 Minute Ripple and the fact that I specifically position the event to be about creating real connection between my participants and that we specifically request that people keep their business agendas at home, he was confused.

"But Steve if business people are there to meet other business people isn't it natural for one to expect that business is what people want to talk about?"

Not necessarily I answered but it is what is expected in "traditional networking" environments and hence why I tend to detest them so much.

Bottom line, when you meet someone for the first time and you ask or get asked that heinous question "So what do you do?" a defining moment occurs. In about the thirty seconds (sometimes way longer for audacious windbags that love to hear themselves talk) you have successfully narrowed your focus into a very finite category with very little room to grow if there is no immediate business connection.

I digress with this example but I think you will get the point.

New Guy - "So I love peas." business translation --- I sell insurance

Me - "I hate peas." business translation --- I don't need insurance

New Guy - "But peas are awesome." business translation --- But you need my insurance

Me - "Maybe for you." business translation --- No I don't now bug off

Uncomfortable silence ensues. This guy is now the freakoid that likes peas and because he likes peas and/or sells insurance the conversation has been narrowed down so quickly (what do you do and do you need what I have) there is no place to go with the conversation. It is now officially dead. Time of death....O'(I wish I Had Listened To That Harper Guy)6:30. Someone call the morgue stat!

Now what if you hadn't started with peas but something about what brought me to Austin or where I purchased my snazzy purple tie, or something that gave us a baseline for some communication that resembled two people getting to know each other? Instead our culture demands that we focus immediately on what this person can do for us or what we can do for them and if there is no immediate relevance its time to move on.

If pea brain and I had found some common ground....a connection point between the two of us and we took the time to build a little rapport, mutual admiration for one another, then when and if the subject of peas (or insurance) came up, he might have my full and captivated attention.

People there are no rules. How many of you are pushing peas when you should be pushing you. People connect with you. Despite what all the networking gurus and their fancy books say, connecting with people isn't a numbers or quantity game. It's an experience. Don't burn the experience and what might be an otherwise amazing future connection for yourself by popping your peas out before they have had time to cook.

Part Two and my client's reaction to keep your peas in your pocket in a day or two.


BTW.....we have our next 8 Minute Ripple happening on January 17th! Email me at steve@ripplecentral.com if you would like to come and NOT TALK ABOUT PEAS!

Ripple On Ripple Nation!

Steve