Pirate Moves – Pass The Mic

April 3, 2009 · Comments

Calvin Lee and Louie Baur It’s not what you say about yourself that counts. You know that. So why try? A week or so ago, I met Calvin Lee and Louie Baur, to name a few, at the So Cal Action Sports Network event at Oakley HQ.

Calvin is quiet but personable. Louie is outrageous and jovial. They are both stars in their own skies. Calvin is a designer, but to me, he’s an information core on Twitter. Louie? Louie can get your online stuff attention. He proved it to me a week before I met him in person.

Now, what’s funny is that they both came to the event to see me. Want the truth? I came to the event so that I could meet them. That’s not being polite. That’s not false modesty. That’s how the business works for me. I fly places, speak, and get the chance to meet amazing new people with incredible talents.

I meet thousands of people a year. Do you know who sticks out to me? I’ll give you a list (as I often do):

Ten Ways to Stand Out at an Event

  1. Be sexier. Confidence matters tons.
  2. Remember that you’re every bit as important as the person you’re meeting. Not pompous or arrogant; just important.
  3. Don’t push your agenda. Just get to know me. We can do business any time. Just meet me. We’ll do business later.
  4. Share. Give people things (and things can be information, ideas, introductions to others).
  5. Praise other people. The more you tell me about yourself, the more I wonder if you’re cocky/arrogant.
  6. Share the air. If you talk and talk and talk and I nod and smile the whole time, I’m happy, but also probably not going to remember much about you.
  7. Brevity is okay, but also knowing a nugget about what makes you passionate is great. If you say, “I’m really into surfing,” then I’ve got lots to ask you. If you say, “I love your tweets,” I can say thank you.
  8. Introduce me to someone else. I love meeting your friends, too.
  9. Bring your best ideas. If you’ve got something to run by me, it’s okay if it’s brief. Share the nugget, not the riverbed.
  10. Know that coffee and beer trump breakfast or dinner. People often want to continue talking over a meal. It’s hard to meet with lots of people and take an hour or more for a meal. Coffee or beer works just fine. : )

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be in Detroit, New Zealand, Santa Barbara, and then at the Inbound Marketing Summit event in San Francisco (April 28-29). Please be sure to connect. Please go out of your way to say howdy do. It’s why I bother flying all the time.

Realize that I travel so that I can hear your story. Think about that with your own business. Are you talking about yourself or about your passionate customers? Are you talking about your products or about the people who use them?

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  • TamiAtVCConnex
    Just came across thru a RT on twitter. You've nailed it! I love #4 because I love to share, give, whatever you want to call it. You also have to be sincere and not try to get something back. I believe by doing so will always come back around in a positive position for yourself. Now if we can only get others to spread the word & apply. Thank you for sharing.
  • Yes yes yes! These are exactly the rules I wish everyone followed. I hate walking out of an event not getting to know any people, just their products or pitches.

    Coffee always works on us blue haired women.... btw. ;-)
  • Bonnie Murphy
    Chris, thank you for such an insightful article. This is the kind of stuff that you are not taught in undergrad or graduate school nor by management in a company....yet it should be!

    No matter what life situation you are in, this advice is prudent, I am continually amazed by your writings - I don't get to read you that often, every time I do I am totally caught of guard by their powerful lessons!

    I just wanted to take the time to thank you for your wisdom and hope one day it is published in some sort of collection book....I think people would get a lot out of it.
  • Dave Falconetti
    Gee I wonder if in all these travels and meetups if you suffer head injuries from the lack of space.
  • Chris, your blog continually blows my mind before I get through the first few paragraphs. :-) This time I got as far as "Remember that you’re every bit as important as the person you’re meeting. Not pompous or arrogant; just important," and came to a halt. Awesome!

    (Well, temporary halt--I did finish reading, and the rest was just as cool.) ;-)
  • @Chris ... this list seems like it could apply to being on Twitter and Blogging also!

    My personal favorite "Praise other people" - this is tough to do. I've got a friend who is a master at it - i've seen 1st hand the impact it can make - especially for the person being praised/encouraged. She inspires me to be better at it.
  • I really enjoyed the 10 Ways to Stand Out at an Event list - loved the "be sexier" line. Confidence is key and very hard to come be honestly. I will be linking people to this article, it is VERY informative!
  • OK Chris, you said Santa Barbara! When are you going to be here so we can grab a pint?
  • Great list! Social networking gurus often push the "get your message across" but I frankly find learning from others the most valuable part of the process. As my long-tail business grows, the relationships I develop make the job valuable in more than monetary terms.
  • That's great advice to make the most of networking at events. What you do after the event is just as important. So while at the event, remember to make a note on the back of business cards people give you - and remember to follow-up as soon as you return. That makes you memorable, reinforces your personal brand attribute of 'authenic' and enables you to keep the relationship going long after the event has ended.

    Best.
    William
    www.williamarruda.com
  • Cheers Chris - loving the 'Ten Ways to Stand Out at an Event' list. I have a whole new game plan for future events. Great stuff!
  • Hey! That's my pal, Cal, in that pic!

    And my world gets smaller again.

    Well put, Chris. Although every time you talk about not talking so much, I think back to our first meeting, like, "DAMN. He probably did not remember one thing about me!" :-)
  • Great list! I can't think of anything more challenging than really trying to get to know someone over lunch. Eating is a bad idea when you are serious about getting to know someone. I almost always say coffee, because it's my favorite think to make friends over.

    I especially liked the question "Are you talking about yourself or about your passionate customers?"
  • sounds like it tracks with the Transparency imperative
  • God would I love to get out to the west coast for the Inbound Marketing Summit, so many great peeps are going out there. Also, Louie is the man...and I don't say that lightly. The dude can get page views with a crazy efficiency and he's hilarious to boot. Imagine if he sold more then skateboards?
  • Great advice, Chris. Very timely, as I am heading to an event at the end of this month and always want to make the most of these things. Most important for me: remembering all the great questions I want to ask when I have the person there in front of me instead of later.
  • Chris,

    Well said my friend. we hear a LOT around the net about "things you need to do" and very few stick. This is a very well written, concise and accurate list. Damn near a wallet card for meeting people.

    hey, wait.....idea.
  • Chris--

    You nailed it, as always. As I was reading this, I was thinking: did I do that when I met him? Did I talk about my surfing thing? Not sure. Just know that I was really happy to meet you and I remember you as incredibly gracious and kind in what can be a madhouse situation, with all kinds of people flying at you constantly. Thanks for keeping it real.
    --Michelle
  • Thanks for the great advice. I'm in a place in my life where I'm trying to meet new people and do new things and this is excellent advice for someone who wants to stand out in a crowd at an event. Things two things are critical: remembering you're important and praising others. Thanks for bringing them to my attention!
  • Chris, If I bump into you it'll probably be at an Airport and I wont care if I miss the flight, if there is time I'll have that beer :)

    be good!
  • I've enjoyed this Pirate series (can I call it a series?). I think the key here is to balance and to humanize. I'm sure many people get caught up in meeting The Chris Brogan so I love how you attempt to humanize yourself and tell other people to do the same. After all, people like to do business with people, not other businesses. Great article Chris.
  • Great post Chris, as always.

    If I come up to you with a big coffee stain on my shirt would that help you remember me? :-)

    Keep up the great writing.

    John
    http://johnfmoore.wordpress.com
  • Awesome advice. I see so many people fall on their face when they're at a Tech meetup/group event because they don't know HOW to talk to people. I'd also add "don't hog time." You're more likely to be remembered if you don't hang on someone. Better to do a few bursts of conversation throughout an event (bringing people for them to meet is a great way to do that) than stand there like an idiot the whole time. :D
  • Chris,

    Perhaps we can frame these as the "Ten Social Commandments." Nice job.

    Regarding the second item on pompous and arrogance, I have met many people whom I follow on Twitter and they are very approachable. I also met a few who do not know how to handle their social celebrity status.

    To your point, if you are putting yourself out there you need to be approachable. As my wife's grandmother says: "It does not cost anything to be nice."
  • @michaelpearsun
    Damn you Brogan, how do you do it? You don't need to answer that, but I really liked this post and most of your posts are dead center. Thanks and I'll surely be back, fo sho. Lates
  • Hey Chris

    Thanks for the shout out! I feel very honored. It was great finally meeting you and Louie is a riot. Next time, we'll chat more, and thanks for treating me like a Rockstar even with so many people lining up. :)
  • Chris - thanks for all of the great advice you give. You definitely practice what you preach. I will pass this information along.
  • Great comments and words to live by. BTW, do any of your future travel plans involve Canada?
  • Stellar advice, and well-crafted as always. Thanks for the insight.
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