Recipe for Holiday Networking

Just as we begin recovering from the Thanksgiving food coma, BAM!…December emerges. The calendar turns to its last page, the temperature drops and the holidays are on the horizon.

Tis the season for office parties, mixers, family & religious celebrations.  A time to mingle with friends and colleagues.  No other period during the year offers such a wealth of fun opportunities to connect and cultivate relationships.  Eat. Mingle.  Be Merry.   Take advantage of building relationships as the focus shifts from business to people.

Below are some key ingredients to enhance your networking recipe during this holiday season.  A teaspoon here, dash there and pinch of spice, you can distinguish yourself and leave people craving more!

A cup of ATTENDING: There are a plethora of mixers, parties, receptions, performances, events; you get my point.  Strive to attend as many of these gatherings as possible and make time to enjoy yourself while there. Mingle. Catch up with colleagues and make new connections for the New Year.  Attend those events you want as well as others where you appearance may be more obligated, you never know who you will meet.  For the more popular among us, you will likely have to party hop; so be careful and make sure to greet the hosts and thank them before making an early exit.

A teaspoon of HOSTING:  Take the stress out of the holidays and host your own intimate mixer or reception, alone or with a friend. No gifts. No pot luck dishes, just camaraderie and conversation.  Bonus: You get to control the guest list.  Invite people from various circles in which you travel, who likely will not know one another.  You will be amazed at the relationships that will form and praise you will receive for being the connector.  Provide the food and wine.  You can ask everyone bring a bottle of wine or spirit to share.  Remember the goal: Stress Free. Your guests don’t want more work, gifts to get, food to prepare etc…

Sprinkle in some GOOD WISHES:  Take 15 minutes each day between now and the end of the year to wish people well.  A simple phone call or email will suffice.  Just let people know you were thinking of them this holiday season.  This personal gesture and kindness will make a lasting impact.  Ideal while you are stuck in traffic or waiting on an appointment.

A pinch of DIRTY SANTA:  If tradition holds true you will get invited to a Dirty Santa or White Elephant party. No doubt there are other names for this gift exchange program.  Essentially each attendee brings a wrapped gift (or re-gifts something from the year prior) and everyone participates in a series of selecting presents and stealing those they like from others. Personally, I love this game and am always entertained and laughing the entire time.  Even when I wound up with the sample pack of perfume (perfect for the following year)! Typically “Dirty” refers to the gift stealing and other times it can refer to more “naughty” gifts. Make sure you know your audience and hosts (i.e. are kids participating) before you decide how risqué a gift to bring!

A dash of DONATION: Many professional organizations, trade associations, chambers etc. host holiday mixers for their members.  They often seek to entice attendance with door prizes and giveaways.  Donate something.  If your product/service would not be appealing to the typical attendee, purchase a gift or gift certificate.   Its inexpensive exposure for you and demonstrates your support of the organization.

Cream the CHEESE and add to mixture:  Have a digital camera?  Or even an iPhone?  Good, you are now the official party photographer.  “When Office Parties Go Wild” Take 1.  Taking pictures and gathering groups together for shots is an instant icebreaker and conversation starter.  A camera is a wonderful resource for introverts, as you now have an innocent excuse to talk to people and a prop, which captures the moment.  (You must actually be taking pictures) We all cherish a little basking in the limelight of a flash. Post party, you have a direct angle to follow up.  Within a few days, load the pictures on one of many online photo galleries (kodakgallery.com, snapfish.com, yahoo photos) and send out the link for others to view, or simply email pictures to those who are in them with a short note.

Fold-in a little VOLUNTEERING: Tis the time to be thankful and help others in need. No doubt you have given all year, especially with the many disasters we have witnessed over the past year and the millions suffering due to the economic challenges. But give of your time and soul.  Ring a bell for the Salvation Army, adopt an angel or simply serve a hot meal at a homeless shelter.  A little extra dose of good karma will serve us and our fellow man in the year ahead.

Blend the existing batter with a cup of RE-CONNECTING:  Lost touch with co-workers, colleagues, college friends or even family? Now is the time to rekindle the communication.  Re-Connect!  The holidays offer you the perfect excuse to call someone you haven’t talked to in years to wish them “Happy Holidays.” Find out what they are up to and fill them in on your life (the abridged version, please). You’ve re-opened the door so Stay in touch. Reconnect with three people every day.

Be sure to sift out the SCROOGE:  We all have stress during this season.  Wrapping up year end items at the office, preparing for family bonding and of course the shopping adventures.  Don’t be the Grinch who spoiled the office party with a bad attitude.  Put on a happy face or stay at home!

From the OFFICE ELF:  Utilize your creative juices. If you are good in the kitchen (baking that is) create a tasty treat or if you are more the artistic type make something unique.  If like me, you have no talent, purchase a treat or find something inexpensive that you can buy and give one to all your office mates. During a slow moment, walk around from office to office or cube to cube and share a small gift with each person.  This gives you a special chance to personally say hello and wish your co-workers a joyous season. Don’t overlook the power of internal company relationships. Seize this season as a moment to create new bonds and deliver something to those in your office, including your boss.

Brush on a little EMAIL FLARE: Infuse some holiday spice into your email signature. Add something creative, such as a phrase or quote you like, a holiday picture or even your favorite cookie recipe.  Change this item every week to keep the thought fresh.  View this as an opportunity to express yourself and show something about which others may be unaware.

Before placing in the oven, BECAUSE YOU CARE, Send season’s greetings cards after December 25. More likely your card won’t get lost in the slew of others that arrive before December 25.  As an alternative for those who prefer the animation and no shopping aspect of E-cards, there are several sites that offer electronic cards for the holidays: (bluemountain.com, hallamark.com, usagreetings.com).  For a twist, try a new service called Send Out Card, who recently has changed their pricing to be more affordable in small quantities. I personally use their service and love it all year round.   http://www.sendoutcards.com/sbn.   You can personalize the message and schedule a delivery date.

Now just sit back and wait for the finished product, but be careful of those MISTLETOE MANNERS:  Beware there are some stealthy folks out there with visions of amore dancing in their heads and mistletoe concealed in their pockets or purses.  Whether a result of over-indulgence in adult beverages or simply moved by the holiday spirit, every party has at least one such bandit running amuck. Be on the look out. They prey on the unsuspecting and quiet.  Should you become ensnared in their trap, offer a quick hug or peck on the cheek and get moving!!
Beyond that you are entering a new frontier of networking for which I must refer you to another professional.

Oh, and I almost forgot,
DRINK & BE  MERRY:  The holidays are meant to be enjoyed and fun.  Indulge in good food and good company.  Know your limits and pace yourself.  With the proliferation of smart phones and their amazing abilities to capture, store and instantly post your every move to the wild west web and Facebook, Twitter, etc.. (Thanks Steve J).  Word to the wise, any mishaps will end up on the Internet for all to see, including your mom!  Don’t be the one who makes naked Xeroxes on the office copier, pulls out the Chicken Dance or ambushes others with mistletoe — as I can assure you that you do not what to be referred to as the “incident” from last year around the water cooler in January.

Feel free to reach me with any questions and feel free to share your stories or add your tips as comments.

Have a wonderful, safe and healthy holiday season.   Happy Networking!

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