When you feel as though you have met and spoken with everybody that could possibly provide you business, what do you do? Host an after-hours mixer for your customers and prospects!
Earlier this year, I wanted to test the idea of "good things flow when people are relaxed" theory. This being my first business social, I had no idea what would ultimately happen. Choosing a neutral location, such as a professional downtown club, seemed to be the best choice.
Opening the yellow pages as well as browsing through the local event papers, I called several nice clubs that appeared the most promising for a professional, relaxed event. The first club I called, I listened intently for hints or ideas the person could offer to make my event a success. From this first call, I prepared answers for the most frequently asked questions. Questions from each of the five clubs called went something like this:
• How are many are in your party? (I guessed between 20 to 40; had no idea)
• Will you be providing food and drinks? (First drink, yes; each club had a happy hour)
• What time do you plan to begin and wrap-up? (5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.)
After mulling over the pluses and minuses of each of the five locations for a couple of days, I chose a landmark establishment that everyone in my city knows. I chose Thursday for the event because most guests would be in town that day and more inclined to be in a good mood (the following day is Friday).
If you have the idea at this point that I am "winging it," you are correct! Recognizing that I have the entrepreneurial spirit and am willing to take calculated risks, hosting a social for relaxing business seems easy enough. Truth is, hosting a business social in my hometown scared me more than any business decision to date. This is only the beginning!
On top of the routine logistics of inviting guests and making arrangements, the fact that this is my FIRST business social loomed ever near. Questions arose, such as:
• How do I deliver invitations to enough customers and prospects so at least 20 professionals attend?
• How do I make this event a relaxing success for everybody so we can have an encore event?
• Why would anyone want to come to my event in the first place...what is my unique selling proposition?
• What do I do if only five or so professionals show?
Now you can relax. My first business mixer turned out a big success! Here are some of the details.
Distributing invitations became a fun event and good reason to contact customers and prospects. Even if no one had shown up that fateful Thursday night, I still made progress with all the calls, faxes and e-mails to people with whom I wanted to communicate. On top of that, every person I spoke with liked the idea of meeting other professionals after hours for great food and a free drink. After the fifteenth or so call, my confidence began to re-appear. I have a winner with this idea! Over 400 invitations were delivered by a variety of means. Now it was too late to change my mind.
The next question involved what to do when people arrived? I have been to business mixers where elaborate events were planned and others where no events were planned. The answer in my case was easy. After paying for the guests' first drink on a peanut-butter budget, there was no entertainment budget left. How can I communicate this to guests in a positive way? Here is the theme of the event:
"No Reason To Get Together But Enjoyment"
The guests did not know that I was referring to my budget in the theme. The guests liked the simplicity. From the theme came my unique selling proposition: "Come together for no reason but to enjoy yourself and you may meet someone to do business with"
Now the magical moment arrives: Thursday at 5:00 p.m. The host is very nice and promises to warmly greet each of my guests as they arrive. Soon after I sit in the section designated for my group, several nice looking people I do not know sit in "my area". When approached, I discover these people are with another group similar to mine, competing for the same floor space. Damage control to the rescue. A friend and I quickly arrange tables and chairs for 30 people and protect this space with our lives. I am determined by this time that this event will be a success, regardless of the numbers.
Gradually, my customers, prospects and some I have no idea where they came from, begin to arrive. The atmosphere in the room is upbeat. A pianist is playing relaxing music and the guests are beginning to "gel."
With the help of the club's waitstaff and host, I am free to mingle and enjoy myself with guests. To my delight, guests are laughing, exchanging business cards, talking about ISDN lines and everything else under the sun.
When the evening was over, there had been 35 guests who ALL seemed to enjoy themselves. Over the next week, I heard from most of the guests telling me how much fun and business they actually realized from participating in my mixer. I never heard from those people I "had no idea where they came from" group, but noticed they enjoyed themselves that Thursday night as well.
Conclusion. I am planning "no reason to get together but enjoyment" mixers in 2010. Now, the "butterflies" I had before the event have flown away.
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