Most of us have attended a number of professional, social, and business events. Make optimal use of these social power meetings by following these helpful tips. Identify the people or person you actually would like to meet and talk with before the event. This helps you focus on a purpose and avoid the fruitless card collecting. Don't underestimate the power of small talk.
Small talk can lead to bigger things.
Don't dismiss gatherings because you rarely get past the chitchat. Take the opportunity to lead small talk into more meaningful and valuable exchanges. Go in with an agenda. Ask yourself what you really want to get out of going to these networking sessions. And then ask yourself what you can give someone else.