Today was an interesting, educational day.
Thana, Saras and Me had the chance to go for a networking session at the Asian Civillization Musuem. The networking session was for community members (meaning CCs etc) and performers and artistes to come together and network in the hopes that this will lead to a future collaboration for an arts related project. This is part of National Arts Council's plans to promote their 'Arts for All' message.
But we learned some things the hard way.
Here are some ground rules when you go for a networking session:
Rule #1
Business Cards and Company Booklet
Nothing is more important for networking and making new contacts than a Name Card.
Even a paper with a number and name would suffice. But the three of us had neither.
So while people were giving us name cards and telling us about their company, we were just smiling and nodding our heads, assuring them that we will get back to them about a future collaboration by contacting them.
Not a very good impression I must tell you.
While Thana and Saras were talking to the people, I observed the rest of the room and realized that everyone had either a name card or a company booklet in their hands. Most had both. These people were prepared to network, to make contacts, with their contact details on a professional looking piece of disappearing-rainforest-turned-into-paper.
Quite a few had a booklet to hand out, explaining their company's aims and listing their achievements.
Lesson: Print AFT Name cards and a booklet with our achievements and aims in it.
Rule # 2
Knowing how to explain our company in 10 words or less
When talking to a representative of a reputable organization, its not nice to have to explain for ten minutes what AFT does. I think thats the problem of being so diverse.
People expect an Arts company to have a niche and are so used to that fact that when another company comes along and says 'Hey! We do Musicals on Tuesdays, Graffiti Walls on Thursdays, Fashion Shows to save Earth on Fridays and throw Halloween Haunted Houses every other Saturday', they literally have to undo every screw in their mind and rebuild their brains to accept THAT fact. We have Tweaked Reality THAT much...
After a while Thana stopped trying and Saras decided to stick to just saying we do musicals with 'other Arts related programs on the side'.
Lesson: We need to gist what our company does into 15 words or less to teach to our AFTeens so that they dont stumble around like we did.
I've a suggestion: You won't understand how really talented we are until you sponsor us.
There!12 words and I have a sponsorship proposal, company explanation and desperation rolled into one.
Rule # 3
Make it clear from the start that we are NOT YEC
Some of you are already saying, 'Phft! Thats so easy. Just tell them we're not from YEC'.
AH! That's what we thought. Guess what happened. Saras and Thana found themselves breaking down AFT and YEC to a NAC official for ten minutes. That woman was one poor, helpless, lost soul...
Guys, I still don't think she got it.
Lesson: When you meet someone who asks you what is AFT about, just remember to never include the word YEC in anything you say, cause people love to mix things up.
Rule #4
Make sure People know where you're from
"Hi, we're from Jelutung CC "
"I'm sorry, where?"
Lesson: Bring a Map
Rule #5 (And the most important one)
Never put us in front of a bowl of Peanuts
Cause then you have idiots like me digging through nuts with a peanut just to get to the ones I want to eat.
Then after ten minutes, you find my hand running an express highway service from peanut bowl to my mouth.
Conclusion
But on the overall, I believe we made some impressions, if very confusing ones. We ARE Tweak Reality, Twist Imagination. But that aside, I learnt a lot by watching and observing.
I learnt that in networking, you've got to swallow your guts/balls/ovaries and jump right in and go 'Hey. Hi! That was BLOODY good performance! Can we have your contact? We'll love to collaborate with you!'.
It's like taking a leap of faith into the unknown.
Cause sometimes, that's all it takes for a beautiful relationship to start.
If you don't believe me, just look at AFT...
=D
And those are the Rules of Networking.
Mr YoJi
