How to Find Participants for a Trial Run

Why is a network meeting the best place to get participants for a trial run?

We talked about taking a booth at a networking event, or at least sharing a booth. The booth has to be more than informational in order to help you move your product or service. I have been to many networking events and have walked by hundreds of booths trying to figure out if what they offer applies to me as a business or as a consumer. The most common thing I see is a table with information, a place to put a business card for a draw (collecting their own mailing list) and a series of brochures that I will likely toss when I get home. It is how you get around the typical table at an event that is important. First, most people sit behind the table and offer information. They barely move until you go to take some information and then they pounce all over you. If you want to attract more attention to what you are doing, you must move from behind the table and be extremely interactive with those taking a glance at your wares.

Second, at most booths the participants must take the information from the table without much explanation. It is better to have something that is interactive so that the participant is actually a real participant in your offering. This method will certainly gain their interest in a different way.

Once you have the attention of networking event attendees, you will find more people will want to know what is going on. You have now motivated the audience to sign-up for a trial run and you are able to give them a memory that will last.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/William-Blair-Company-Issues-Research/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B60FC8C56-973C-43A6-A2A6-53220F3C97D5%257Dcid=1272929738ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGkj4RRsUHLaozjKyjqvpHXi-lRQgWilliam Blair amp; Company Issues Research Report on Data bNetworking/b b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1CHICAGO, Nov 21, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- William Blair amp; Company issued an Industry Report on data bnetworking/b and initiated research coverage of five b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.streetinsider.com/New%2BCoverage/William%2BBlair%2BInitiates%2BCoverage%2Bon%2BData%2BNetworking%2BStocks/4185844.htmlcid=1272929738ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGmxqTplKr30tHJP3OfUKHvslIJYgWilliam Blair Initiates Coverage on Data bNetworking/b Stocks/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrStreetInsider.com (subscription)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272929738hl=ennobrall 9 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Space/wireStory%3Fid%3D6293225cid=1272074681ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGQU0XRJnGgX0dFRT0YePqBqMAcaQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=ZP4X7zkq_A4Jimgurl=a.abcnews.com/images/Technology/nm_laptop_space_081120_mn.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2ABC News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm%3Fid%3Dtalk-about-cyberspace-nasas-space-s-2008-11-21cid=1272074681ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNG0irLztdnnPP3HqVeUHjrPWnKRxQTalk about cyberspace: NASA#39;s space-spanning Internet clears its b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fScientific Americannbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The space agency announced this week that its DTN bnetwork/b, which would allow the automated relay of information to and from far-flung spacecraft or landers b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gb-opZIErqz7jhq--8Bq86eAxEigD94I9BBO1cid=1272074681ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGYZlZaeNM3mEncAmwZUVrUvLj-fwE-mail in zero G: NASA develops bnetwork/b for space/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Associated Press/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/NASA-Space-Network,news-2999.htmlcid=1272074681ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGhJ-o1pTXECB70UgKJMJLWZbV4ygNASA Develops Interstellar bNetwork/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTom's Guide/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7741184.stmcid=1272074681ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNHRwRH5smZ_yLNzrpbwx6lQrGKfqAFirst test for interplanetary net/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBBC News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/47640-1.htmlcid=1272074681ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNEoqsmCPJUtuqIAVb29zN2wywyMjAnobrGCN.com/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailytech.com/NASA%2BTesting%2BNew%2BInterplanetary%2BCommunications%2BNetwork/article13470.htmcid=1272074681ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNHzhc_QaK_jPHWr_dReRJDbIl5udwnobrDailyTech/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272074681hl=ennobrall 278 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Social-Networking-Rule-No-1-Dont-Be-Stupid-65215.htmlcid=0ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNEm-I9mLNEmGSSkBFW7-vWaOtnnNgSocial bNetworking/b Rule No. 1: Don#39;t Be Stupid/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTechNewsWorld,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Lorenzo Perez It#39;s been said before, but recent incidents suggest it bears repeating: The profiles that online social bnetwork/b users maintain can -- and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.reporter-times.com/stories/2008/11/22/mdtnews.qp-4805851.stocid=0ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNFq1KbVfjmKN7PTuZUtJccxCdqOfASpeed bnetworking/b brings big returns/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReporter-Times,nbsp;INnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Called speed bnetworking/b, business people get 30 to 60 seconds to introduce themselves, trade cards and give a brief pitch. Then, they move on to the next b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.westerncourier.com/home/news/2008/11/21/News/Western.Finds.Its.Own.Networking.Niche-3557819.shtmlcid=1272986315ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNHEB82pNFvreq01shX-DQyU7bVeBAWestern finds its own bnetworking/b niche/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWestern Courier (subscription),nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;bNetworking/bquot; is a term used in most college students#39; vocabulary. From MySpace to Facebook, the online community has greatly increased in the past years. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailytech.com/Study%2BInternet%2BSocial%2BNetworking%2BGood%2BFor%2BYoung%2BPeople/article13489.htmcid=1272358887ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNEvq6j85cPOlR38UF2xzw_NtQCLMQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=phVLfpo5Vi4Jimgurl=images.dailytech.com/frontpage/fp__asus_eeepc.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2DailyTech/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailytech.com/Study%2BInternet%2BSocial%2BNetworking%2BGood%2BFor%2BYoung%2BPeople/article13489.htmcid=1272358887ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNEvq6j85cPOlR38UF2xzw_NtQCLMQStudy: Internet Social bNetworking/b Good For Young People/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDailyTech,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Research funded by the MacArthur Foundation indicates teenagers in the United States who spend time on social bnetworking/b web sites are developing social b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Internet_Social_Networking_Is_Good_For_Your_Children_29531.htmlcid=1272358887ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNFO7A1fbWBFWL3xlxdAk9jgfX4xpQInternet Social bNetworking/b Is Good For Your Children/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobreFluxMedia/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://cbs3.com/topstories/Study.Finds.Teens.2.869768.htmlcid=1272358887ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNF7HwHsuAaJ0joyt1bGCMHBS9CbJwStudy Finds Teens Learn While Social bNetworking/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCBS 3/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7013121622cid=1272358887ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGsCpyfCVtx-Zbl5WLb2NRaj_s59QStudy: Internet Social bNetworking/b Has Positive Impact On The Youth/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAHN/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi%3Ff%3D/c/a/2008/11/20/BUKE147TA1.DTLcid=1272358887ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNF2LbPZEyQDVlw1nTX0R1-ZFSfIYAnobrSan Francisco Chronicle/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/56030cid=1272358887ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNEeaAxHnB9tK6vj1u3UsHBAb55o6AnobrShacknews/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272358887hl=ennobrall 162 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1645914.htmcid=1273168295ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGprzUFVrcKvS2jfkQzAb5tKQf2lwBusiness bNetworking/b at its Best in London this Christmas/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR Web (press release),nbsp;WAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I#39;m sure you know it#39;s the quality of the bnetwork/b, not the quantity, that counts. London, UK (PRWEB) November 22, 2008 -- The Executives Association of b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp%3FID%3D32708cid=1273170718ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNFpxduZWXEflVHnJI68p9Ahcx6tLwChamber Introduces Business bNetworking/b Site/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fInside INdiana Business (press release),nbsp;INnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce has launched a new online business bnetworking/b site. Indylink.com allows the chambers 4300 members to b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20081122/BUSINESS/811220304cid=1273170718ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNEpk1YnZy4PAI10A67Zt3acdt2pFAChamber seeking small businesses/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMuncie Star Press/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1273170718hl=ennobrall 3 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://news.theage.com.au/business/social-networking-can-help-business-20081121-6cxm.htmlcid=1272349185ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNFoabO8RffFn8cAhJpcmKZ_2y8kCwSocial bnetworking/b can help business/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Age,nbsp;Australianbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The use of social bnetworking/b tools such as Facebook, blogs and even the online game World of Warcraft could improve business, a report based on the opinions b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y08/m11/i21/s04cid=1272979074ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNGJN54NtjcHCPb0cECUUkLkUHg6MwOnline Bargain Hunting Gets Social, Survey Says/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAuctionbytesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And 3 percent said they learn about deals quot;from friends via Twitter, Facebook or other social bnetworking/b site.quot; quot;Two years ago, social media wasn#39;t even b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://philanthropy.com/live/2008/11/social_networking/cid=1272979074ei=FkYoSfSpLoLg6APBncVIusg=AFQjCNFC7tlDQw332mIs7CwN2J_ZU8WwYgHow Charities Can Raise Money With Twitter and Other Social b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrChronicle of Philanthropy (subscription)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272979074hl=ennobrall 2 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
networking - Google News

The Five Step Formula For Getting Prospects to Call You

Are you tired of prospecting for new business?Are you sick... Read More

What a Leads Exchange Group can do for You

What is the definition of a leads exchange and how... Read More

Networking and Trade Shows

The most important reasons people exhibit at a trade show?... Read More

The 7 Habits of Highly Horrible Networkers

Networking is a term that didn't exist (academically) until almost... Read More

Building Great Business Relationships

If you're in a business relationship with anyone ? a... Read More

3 Reasons to Join a Group

Defining your purpose for joining a group.When you make the... Read More

Flying High, Flying Far

"What me? Sell myself? You have to be joking!"This was... Read More

It Pays to be Friendly

Most small business people do not take advantage of human... Read More

Sticky Situations: Nametag Best Practices

Because a person's name is the single context of human... Read More

You MUST Be Visible

Have you ever noticed how visible large corporations are? Take... Read More

Ask for Referrals: And Get the Answer You Want!

Why are people scared to ask for a referral? Is... Read More

Strategic Networking: Take the Shortest Path to Success

Do you use Ryze or LinkedIn to promote your web... Read More

Five Stumbling Blocks To Successful Networking And How To Overcome Them

The ability to connect with people is essential to success... Read More

Social Network Software

My neighbor ? a lovely man I've known, and have... Read More

Networking: What the Heck is a Ryze?

If you're new to the internet marketing club, you may... Read More

How to Create an Interest Story for the Press

What makes a good interest story?An interest story is just... Read More

Examination of Discovery - Finding the Right Networking Group

Why would I pick this group over another group?How many... Read More

Ask for What YOU Want and Gain More Business

Why ask others for help and what do you gain... Read More

A New LinkedIn Discussion Forum for High Power Dealmakers

For those of you interested in international business transactions or... Read More

Network Marketing

Network marketing is the ordinary person's best opportunity to make... Read More

How Speakers, Exhibitors, Consultants, and Meeting Planners Partner-Generate More Money and Value

? "Make Every Moment Count" is the title of a... Read More

Develop a Great Network - Pay It Forward for Maximum Success

Who needs a network of people to talk to about... Read More

Building Bridges - The Importance of Being Connected Where You Live

As a Young Professional (YP) in the up-and-coming city of... Read More

Client Attraction Technique #2: Networking

One of the most cost effective ways of generating leads... Read More

Successfully Meeting And Greeting - Ten Strategies For Getting Off To A Good Start

A day in the life of every businessperson is made... Read More