Learning how to talk at a party can be a walk in the park if you know these sneaky tips on party networking. Find out how to impress anyone easily.
Click here to read the introduction on how to network at a party.
Knowing how to talk at a party and network the right way can make a big difference in your life and career.
A party isn’t just an excuse to meet the opposite sex.
It can help you create a career too, as you’ve read in the introduction on party networking.
How to talk at a party
Here are a few sneaky moves that are sure to get everyone to think highly of you.
But remember, one wrong move and you may end up shooting yourself in the foot.
Appear busy
Appear busy when you go out to a party. Even if you’ve got no plans, call a few friends from your phone and have a chat with them when you don’t have company.
Have you ever seen Simon Cowell step out of his ride at the studio doors?
He almost always has a phone stuck to his ears. It’s not that he’s that busy, but he knows how to keep himself looking busy.
People always think highly of a person who appears busy even while partying!
So call people up one after the other, until you’ve created enough of the I’m-the-busiest-party-animal alter ego for yourself.
Brag
This can either be your Houdini move to break your unpopular shackles into the limelight or your spot under the guillotine. But you still need to learn to brag when you’re networking.
When you’re at a party, people around you want to hear interesting deeds of power or gossip. If you’re ever able to bump into a bunch of power party people, and if you can blend into their conversation and add some pointers convincingly, even if they’re quite farfetched, you’d have all the people around you lapping it up in delight.
Don’t think you can brag too well? Then add bits of information that you’re sure of, and wait for someone else to take it further.
You secretly know that GloboCorp is selling out 40% of its stakes, let the others know about the rumor that the organization is selling itself out, along with your professional views. Or do you know that the C.E.O of Imawanker Corp. is having an affair with his secretary and his wife knows nothing about it, tell the whole world the fact in dramatic hushes. Of course, you can add the detail that you heard it from someone else.
Believe me, even if they sound uninterested, you would surely see all ears around you dart out like antennas! Party people and socialites who want to network want nothing more than a bit of gossip. Trust me.
Look important
Looking important is one of the most important things in knowing how to talk at a party. Party people want to be around people who are important. And important people usually carry along with them, the swagger of impatience and a hint of arrogance. They don’t always direct it at everyone around them, but at people who make mistakes.
Of course, a rich important person didn’t get rich being nice to people who make silly mistakes. So if you’ve ordered a drink five minutes ago, and it still hasn’t reached your table, call out to your waiter, sit back and remind him about your drink, very clearly.
Even when you meet and talk to your favorite celebrity, look interested but at the same time, look around and slacken yourself a bit. Make your conversation mates push themselves to talk to you once in a while. Nothing can make people believe that you’re really important better than this one move!
Joining the inner circle
Now that you know how to make an important impression and talk at a party, we’ll get to building your networking community.
Once you strike up a conversation with someone, even if it’s the host, you’re pretty much a part of the party. Now, it’s your job to be the life of the party.
You want to meet people
If you know at least one of the party people, hang around with them for a while. Talk about the people around, and ask if your new friend knows anyone around. If they do know someone, that’s great news for you.
Ask your friend to introduce them to you. On the other hand, if your mate doesn’t know anyone, mentally make a note not to spend too much time with them again! Or if there’s a host, think about who you’d like to meet. Are they someone fun, someone sexy, or someone who might be able to get you a career boost? Your host will know exactly who to wheel you over to.
Small talk
Once you’ve met up with someone new, start talking. Don’t go to the regular basics like “nice place, no?” or “oh, so you drink vodka?” Go power talk. Go straight into their professional life. Ask them about what they do, and learn about their work. Knowing about all fields of work gives you enough confidence to talk about all aspects without looking stupid.
People usually like talking about themselves and their accomplishments, so avoid asking anything that has a direct ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ answer to your question. Learn to talk and extract information at the same time. This will help create interesting conversations that could even help you.
Don’t stick to anyone
Even if you’re having a great time sitting around with someone, don’t hang around with them the entire night. It’s good to take a break and talk to other people. To get out of the conversation without being abrupt or rude, say that you’re off to get another drink, or that you have to check up on your friend.
You may also find that the conversation would end naturally when you’re introduced to a new person and you start chatting with them and walk away with a smile. No one is going to get offended when you walk around at a party, everyone with brains come to a party to meet people.
Getting drunk and dancing like you’re at a frat party will become the topic of many conversations, and it’s never a great way to meet people at a party. If you want to party, then go on and dance. If you want to meet bigwigs and interesting people, sashay in the crowd and stop occasionally to chitchat.
Timing it right
In most places, unless it’s specified against it, being fashionably late is the in-thing. We see everyone do it, though some people scowl about it.
It’s always better to arrive when the party’s sprung to life rather than getting to the place even before the lights are on. And another fact to remember is that most people wouldn’t have arrived yet, which makes meeting new people that much harder. When the party’s young, most people prefer to sit down in a corner than walk around. Talking to someone who’s just relaxing will make it look like you’re hitting on them, when all you have in mind is networking! Wait until the party’s starting to come alive with people and everyone’s conversing and willing to open up.
Towards the end of the party, make sure you’ve got phone numbers of all your new friends, and head off before you become party dregs or a part of the furniture.
Talking to people and building your network
Meeting people at parties is the new in-thing. Gone are the days when talking to someone at a party meant that you’re hitting on them. These days, partying is a lot more about communicating rather than hooking up or entering the dance frenzy. If you still think partying is meant only to lay chicks or meet cute blokes, grow up or party at some teenage dance club.
Use these tips on how to talk at a party and strengthen your business network connections. It’s easier and can open more doors of opportunity than you can imagine.
