Networking Tips I Learned from Meeting @KeithFerrazzi in San Diego

I had the honor of meeting my favorite author, Keith Ferrazzi in San Diego this week at the Entrepreneur Challenge Fall Kickoff Event at UCSD where he interviewed the renowned Dr. Irwin Jacobs, Co-founder of Qualcomm.  As I mentioned in my post welcoming Keith Ferrazzi to San Diego, there’s not a single time I recommend a business book that I don’t mention his best seller, Never Eat Alone! I’ve learned so many great tips for networking, connecting and building professional relationships through Keith’s books, blogs and videos. Meeting him in person really reinforced many of these tips  Here’s a glimpse of my amazing evening spent networking with entrepreneurs and meeting Keith Ferrazzi. I’ll end the post with valuable networking tips you can apply to the very next event you attend!

The evening started off with a networking dinner so of course, I had an opportunity to meet some great community leaders, UCSD students and affiliates. The photo below is a prime example of never eating alone!

I followed one of Keith’s golden rules for meeting the speaker at the event. Get to the speaker, before he goes on stage! I saw Keith Ferrazzi walk by and immediately went up and introduced myself to him. He’s extremely personable, enthusiastic and positive. I manifested this exact moment into my life because in 2009 when Who’s Got Your Back came out, I told Keith Ferrazzi that I would get his second book when I met him so he could autograph it and that’s exactly what happened!

 After enjoying a great dinner, Dr. Irwin Jacobs and Keith Ferrazzi took the stage. Keith Ferrazzi’s job was to be curious and ask Dr. Jacob’s questions related to the topic of “Why great relationships matter in business?” Keith did a great job at asking questions that prompted Dr. Jacobs to share his inspirational story. As both a Marketer and an Entrepreneur, I really resonated with both Dr. Jacobs and Keith Ferrazzi. I definitely learned a lot about having a vision and following it, being a great leader and of course networking! Below are some networking tips I’ve learned from Keith Ferrazzi, some of them definitely came into play during this particular event!

1. Reach out before the event- If you’re attending an event and want to meet someone specific, reach out to them before the event. I’ve already discussed how to work a conference before it begins. This tip is very similar. Social Media is a great resource that allows you to connect. Before attending the event, I tweeted Keith a bunch of times and of course wrote my post to welcome Keith to San Diego. Reaching out can also be done by a simple email. You can let someone know that you enjoyed an article they wrote, congratulate them on a recent accomplishment or connect with them on a more personal level if you know a hobby they enjoy. (In the tweets below I engaged several people in conversation about Keith Ferrazzi and I even received a reply from him acknowledging that he would see me tomorrow!)

2. Arrive Early- If you want to meet the Speakers, they’ll definitely be at the event at least 30 minutes before hand. Chances are the speaker won’t be bombarded by everyone else so you may have an opportunity to introduce yourself before anyone else. If you wait until after the event to try and connect with a speaker, chances are they’re going to be busy talking to everyone else and also thinking about going home so it’s harder to make a personal connection. I actually arrived at UCSD 30 minutes early so was one of the first one who was let into the room.

3. Talk To the Organizer- Arriving early also gives you a chance to find and introduce yourself to the organizer and let him/her know who you may be looking to connect with. Ask the organizer if there’s anyone they feel would be a great connection for your industry. The organizer knows everything that’s happening behind the scenes and everyone who’s going to be at the event. See if they can introduce you to some other attendees or even the speaker. When approaching the organizer, make sure to be mindful of their time since they’re probably still planning last minute updates and make sure to thank them for hosting you.

4. Ask Questions- After many presentations and panels there is often a chance for audience Q & A. This is your golden opportunity to get in front of the room and let others know what you do. Before asking your questions, clearly state your name with a brief intro. Since you have everyone’s attention, there very well may be others in the room who are seeking your service, product or who many want to collaborate with you. Asking questions not only gives you mic time, it also allows you to interact and stand out to the speakers and attendees.

5. Give Books as Gifts- Since the holidays are approaching so quickly, tis the season to start thinking of gifts for your prospects, clients and colleagues. Books are full of information and are personal because you’re recommending something that has helped you. Autographed books are even better! Keith reminded me of how great of gifts books can be as he was signing mine. He asked if there was anyone I’d like to give “Who’s Got Your Back” to so he could sign the book to that person. I didn’t have anyone in mind, so I just told him to sign his name in case I did want to give the book away as a gift. Well Keith came up with an even better idea by writing “Melodie’s Got Your Back”. This way I’m able to keep the book myself or also give it away as a gift.

Again, it was such an honor to meet my favorite author, hear Dr. Jacobs speak and connect with other Entrepreneurs. I’m grateful that attending the event inspired me to refresh my own networking skills, allowing me to share tips with you. If you have additional networking tips, please leave them in the comments below! I’m personally hosting a networking event and seminar coming up on Wed. November 2nd! If you’d like to attend my next seminar where you’ll definitely have a chance to apply these networking tips, you can register here. If it’s your first time attending one of my seminars, please email me: melodie at marketing melodie dot com and I’ll send you a code fore $10 off. Happy Networking and if you don’t already have Never Eat Alone and Who’s Got Your back, check them out at your local library or purchase them! You won’t be disappointed.

Talk Nerdy To Me Lover’s @JenFriel Live in San Diego #NerdsUnite

Everyone, meet @JenFriel.  Jen and I met on Twitter a few months ago. I have a few San Diego  friends connected with her (@danlarsen who I heard may  teach her to Kite Surf and @zrdavis who was inspired by her to blog his journey in the Appalachian trails). After seeing several conversations with her name in them. I went on her site, TalkNerdyToMeLover.com and found that I really identified with a lot of her stories. Her blog is honest, authentic and tons of fun! (Basically how I choose to live my life!)  I tweeted her a hello and she gave a Twitter *wave* back. To this day I’ve met so many amazing people on Twitter from lifelong friends to business alliance who help me succeed in what I do.

After connecting with @JenFriel I soon began tweeting with some other lovely ladies from the #NerdsUnite crew @ItsMeJoolie, @MegCorbs, @msmeghanbrown because nerdy girls need to stick together. I must say that I’m amazed and inspired by each and every one of these ladies in many different ways. Through the power of Twitter we’ve planned a fun evening for everyone this Saturday at the Tilted Kilt Mission Valley! Yep this whole thing was set up via Social Media! Hey I planned Foursquare Day in Hong Kong at my computer in San Diego through Twitter so planning a local event through Twitter is a piece of cake!

You’re all invited to join me as I host this amazing group of #nerdsunite ladies Saturday October 15th 8pm at Tilted Kilt Mission Valley! We’ll give them a warm welcome to America’s Finest City! Come enjoy hosted apps generously provided by the Tilted Kilt Mission Valley, drink specials and a fun time! (This is also the same night as my good friend @downtownrob’s Wine To Water Charity Event. Luckily his event starts at 6pm so ther’s plenty of time to support Rob then stop by the Tilted Kilt after!)

When: October 15, 2011 8PM until they kick us out!

Where: The Tilted Kilt Pub Mission Valley – 1640 Camino Del Rio N, San Diego, CA 92108 (Not to be confused with the Downtown location)

Why: Why not?! Nerd out with great company, like minded friends, drinks, food and knowing my San Diego friends we’ll probably tweeting the night away to document an amazing time!

Head count is appreciated so RSVP is highly recommended but not required.  If you’d like to attend, please tweet me, leave a comment or just show up! Can’t wait for you all to Talk Nerdy To Me in San Diego!

Welcome to San Diego @KeithFerrazzi!

This coming Tuesday October 11th, 2011, Keith Ferrazzi is going to be in San Diego for the  Entrepreneur Challenge Fall Kickoff Event at UCSD. He’s interviewing Dr. Irwin Jacobs – Co-founder of Qualcomm. Keith Ferrazzi has been an inspiration to me ever since I read Never Eat Alone in 2008. There’s not a single time I’m recommending actionable business books that I don’t bring up Never Eat Alone. When he started his book tour for his next best seller, Who’s Got Your Back in 2009 I even blogged about why I wanted to meet him and top 3 reasons why Keith should come to San Diego. Keith even replied to me in direct message back in 2009 that I was so excited to receive!

Since that post I haven’t had a chance to meet him yet but I always believe things happen exactly when they’re suppose to happen so I’m thinking that tomorrow is the day I’ll finally meet Keith Ferrazzi in San Diego!

Never Eat Alone dispels the myth that  business relationships must be kept strictly professional. Business relationships can be rooted on friendship, authenticity and generosity just like personal relationships. I identified with this book so much because I use Social Media as a primary tool for creating marketing opportunities for both myself and businesses. If you read my recent post on being cast for a Microsoft commercial you’ll understand the many opportunities I’ve created for myself through Social Media by sharing personal stories.

Social Media is a medium that encourages people to be honest, authentic and real when creating marketing messages for their business. It personalizes and humanizes experiences for consumers, which is the exact type of connection Keith Ferrazzi emphasizes creating in Never Eat Alone. Keith, clearly understood the importance of building strong relationships even before Social Media became a prominent marketing tool. But since Social Media has revolutionized the way we communicate, Keith himself has also embraced the space through connecting with people on Facebook, Twitter and his blog.

If you’d like to join me in welcoming Keith Ferrazzi to San Diego tomorrow. You can register for his event here. You’ll learn Why Great Relationships Matter in Business. Dr. Irwin Jacobs will be in conversation with Keith Ferrazzi.

In addition to attending Keith Ferrazzi’s event tomorrow I’ve been nudging him on Social Media to see if he has some time come into San Diego a little early to enjoy a nice walk, hike or even a meal with myself and perhaps some other San Diego business leaders who are interested! If you’d like to connect with Keith in San Diego, please let him know! The San Diego social space has so many amazing leaders that I know Keith will have an opportunity to learn, collaborate and enjoy some great spots during his time here!

If you don’t already have Keith’s books, check them out at the library or purchase them below! I’ll write a follow up post soon after meeting Keith Ferrazzi tomorrow! I’m really looking forward to it!

Introducing Pangea Bakery Cafe, Home of Digital Media Now @DigitalMediaNow

I’m very excited to have recently announced my new seminar series, Digital Media Now. I’ve worked hard to create 6 different seminars happening on the 1st Wednesday of each month starting on Wed. November 2nd where our topic is Personal Branding on Social Media. You’ll leave the seminar with actionable content you can implement immediately that will:

• 
Attract qualified customers and strategic partners 
 
• Increase visibility for both yourself and your business 
• Alleviate privacy concerns related to Social Networking 

During this seminar I’ll teach you several advanced strategies for updating your personal social networks while providing positive visibility to your business. This knowledge will allow you to make enhancements in your marketing so you’ll become tremendously more confidant and effective online. If you want to be highly effective at marketing your business don’t miss out on Personal Branding on Social Media!

The home of Digital Media Now seminars is located at Pangea Bakery Cafe. Pangea Bakery Cafe is spacious, clean and beautiful. Upon touring the location, I felt the positive energy and knew it was the right place to host my seminars. Attached to their main cafe, they have a great event space in the back, which makes it even more perfect for hosting Digital Media Now. Here’s a glimpse of the space you’ll experience as an attendee.

Pangea’s Mission:
Pangea’s mission is to bring the world together. They bring the world of delicious baked goods and innovative people to create a community about food and innovation. Pangea is about fellowship, starting with flavors from their roots in Taiwan and reaching out to bring the continents of delicious cuisine together here in America.

Also since I’m a Yelper and even help businesses to encourage authentic Yelp reviews, I must point out that with over 100 reviews on Yelp, Pangea is holding up strong with 4 stars!

I’m really looking forward to hosting Digital Media Now seminars at Pangea Bakery Cafe and can’t wait to see you at our next event on Wed. November 2nd, 2011. Seats are limited so reserve your spot here.

Join Marketing Melodie at Digital Media Dinners Thursday July 14

Marketing Melodie presents the 3rd event in the Digital Media Dinners series: How to Build Your Social Media Community on Thursday July 14th 6:30pm at Nik Software Headquarters in Mission Valley, San Diego.

My inspiration for creating Digital Media Dinners came from meeting many business owners and professionals who tell me they’re on Social Media but are challenged in executing it effectively. I’m here as a resource for those eager to succeed and grow their businesses in the digital space. My goal for each event is to have attendees walk away with tactical and practical tips they can implement immediately into their marketing strategy. I also want to provide an opportunity for networking and growing business connections.

Packed room of guests at Digital Media Dinners 2

At the first Digital Media Dinners- Facebook and Twitter for Business attendees learned specific tips on how to optimize their accounts. At the second Digital Media Dinners- Social Media Branding attendees learned how to take action to ensure  a positive brand reputation and attract qualified customers and clients. The third event focuses on building a social media community. Attendees will learn how to strategically interact with customers and prospects to ultimately grow an audience of loyal brand evangelists.

YOU WILL GAIN:

• Hands-on, tactical tips to implement and incorporate immediately
• Knowledge on how to effectively engage in conversations on Social Media
• Tips on how to encourage interaction with your community and turn your audience into true advocates for your brand

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

• Business Owners and Leaders
• Marketing and PR Executives
• CMOs, Marketing Managers and Directors
• Product and Brand Managers
• Anyone interested in learning how Social Media will help grow your business

EVENT FORMAT:
Melodie Tao, founder of Marketing Melodie,(www.marketingmelodie.com) will give an educational presentation on How to Build Your Social Media Community followed by a panel discussion with successful industry leaders. The panelists will provide insight on how their business or organization is excelling in community building through Social Media. The event will conclude with audience Q&A.

6:30- 7:15pm: Networking, Buffet Style Dinner sponsored by Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill
7:15- 7:45pm: Presentation by Melodie
7:45- 8:30pm: Panel Discussion, Audience Q & A

Early Bird Registration $59 per person (Until July 7th), Regular price $69 per person and $79 at the door

Networking and lining up for Dinner at Digital Media Dinners 2

DINNER: Registration includes dinner sponsored by Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill and will consist of their Beach Mex Buffet with Grilled Chicken and Steak, rice, “no-fried” pinto beans, jack and cheddar cheese, lettuce, fresh guacamole, three signature salsas, soft tortillas and tortilla chips. Veggie Burritos available by request.

PANELISTS:

• Jim Trotter- Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated
• Megan Pogoda- Community Manager, Google (Google Places)
• Jeff Monday- Development Executive, Apple Inc.
• Read more about the panelists here

EVENT PARTNERS: Silk Road Productions

PRO TIP: Join Marketing Melodie on Facebook and receive a $10 off promo code!

I look forward to seeing everyone for the next Digital Media Dinners on Thursday July 14^th at 6:30pm. Please feel free to share any feed back you have from previous events or let me know what you’d like to see at our upcoming event.

[EVENT] Yoga for the Busy Body with Marketing Melodie

Many of you who follow me on Twitter know that while Marketing is my expertise, my yoga practice is a passion that plays a significant part of my life. Yoga brings me peace, serenity and clarity. I share events, information and inspiration about yoga and its powerful impact so I decided to take my yogic ventures to the next level by completing a teacher training to deepen my own practice and provide me with an opportunity to teach yoga to others. I’m proud to have completed my 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Teacher in April, 2011 at La Jolla Yoga Center.

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