Ben Silverman, a talent agent at William Morris, says good, old-fashioned gift giving can be a way to make points with people. People know the brand and will always enjoy drinking it. Schmoozers have other networking secrets when traveling. Silverman has his assistant call ahead and alert hotels that he's a VIP and might be entertaining while he's there. Atlanta-based telecommunications analyst Jeffrey Kagan likes to make an impression by flying to another city just to meet a business contact for lunch or dinner.
Nothing speaks louder than shaking hands, sharing a joke and a plate of chicken fingers.
Remember the kids Bob Friedman, president of TV at New Line, knows it's best to connect with people over shared interests and hobbies. He says he's met people through his kids' school events and auctions. He often takes his family on the road and hooks up with other executives who have children. Mark Robertson, a New York-based editorial producer for ABC, reads the major city magazines to learn about trendy restaurants to visit in different cities. Robertson says he learned a lot about schmoozing when he was a public relations executive in Washington.