SMILE: Networking at Writers Conferences
Using the SMILE techniquests to make contacts in public settings
Feb 12, 2009
Writers arrive at conferences with goals to achieve. Those goals vary but one is almost always to make contacts to further their writing careers. Using the SMILE technique allows writers to network with confidence.
Smile
A smile attracts people much more so than a frown, even a concentration frown. Smile to show joy at seeing old friends and meeting new acquaintances. Smile encouragement to speakers during their presentations. A smile shows the writer is happy to be there and ready to be engaged in conversation. The smile must be genuine. False smiles are easy to spot and make people uncomfortable. Think positive thoughts especially when feeling nervous and a smile will emerge.
Make Eye Contact
Writers should keep their heads up and look people in the eyes. Combining eye contact with a smile shows confidence. Confidence makes a person approachable. When people can see into someone’s eyes, they feel a level of contact, comfort, and trust in the person. Someone who constant looks at the ground or shifts their eyes around the room looks uncomfortable and ready to bolt at the slightest provocation. Staring too hard at someone can also make the person feel uncomfortable and the person staring seem a bit creepy. Be careful to maintain eye contact in a friendly, comfortable and relaxed manner.
Introduce
Writers spend a lot of time doing solitary work, so it’s important for them to meet people who understand the demands of the writing profession. At conferences, they must introduce themselves to people they want to know. Study the speaker list, think about who would be good to know, and how to approach them. Then pay attention to the moment and try to make a connection during the introduction. Also introduce other attendees and friends to people who have something in common, may be helpful to one another or become friends. It’s important to remember lots of people want to meet the same people, so be cognizant of inviting others to join the conversation and to respect other people’s time. Writers need to create professional networks, so be relaxed and inclusive.
Listen
Pay attention in workshops and panels. A topic to use as an opening in an introduction may present itself. Listen to the people you meet. Writers are keen to share their experiences and help other writers. Being attentive is a great way to make contacts, but don’t forget to also contribute to the conversation. Listening is more than hearing, so be sure to focus on the conversation at hand. Don’t constantly be looking for the next person to meet. The person speaking should feel like they are the only person in the room during the conversation.
After returning home from conferences, writers should contact all the people they met at the conference with a short message. An email stating how enjoyable the conversation was and following up on any unanswered questions could begin a relationship. It’s also a good time to share information the other writer may find helpful based on the conversation from the conference. Things the email could contain include the opportunity to guest blog, an invitation to connect on a social network, or a contact for a speaking engagement, and so on. An email is also a great way to let the conference committee know how beneficial the conference was. Conference committees can often turn into great contacts for getting in touch with conference speakers or other attendees in the future.
The SMILE technique is a simple but effective way to build a network of support for a writing career. Using the SMILE technique successfully hinges on choosing the right conference. Writers tend to be a helpful bunch of people who don’t feel threatened by the success of others. This technique can be used in any public situation where meeting contacts is important. Writers will be surprised how much they can change their career path when they SMILE.
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