Naked Networking

OK, here's a new way to network.  After all, we want to be the best we can be at networking, right?

So a friend of mine, knows another person who networks in the sauna at the "tony" downtown club.  He's very successful at getting clients this way.  I guess if everyone is naked there is no opportunity for pretense.

My mind got to thinking about this.  What would happen to all the rules of networking without clothes in the equation?

Would the handshake change?  You certainly wouldn't want to miss the person's hand!  That could be a bit awkward.

And what about networking body language? Would you come from the side of a new person, not making a full frontal approach?  After all you don't know them that well.

And the big question of the day is where in the heck would you store your business cards?  I don't even want to go too much further with that.

With all these thoughts running around in my head, I think that I will not adopt the skin-free approach to networking.

Anyone else dare to weigh into this?????

Networking Failure

OK, I must admit, I was a failure at networking the other night.

I was invited to a business friend's holiday open house.  I arrived late into the party, so that it was in full swing.  In fact, I could hardly get in!  The place was so crowded that it was difficult to move around.  I couldn't get to the coat closet, so there I was walking around with my stick-on name tag on my coat.  I tried to find my friend, just to deliver my greetings to no avail.

Everyone was into their own conversations and didn't exhibit open networking body language.  So here is what I bravely did -- I ate an appetizer and left.  Yep, that's right, I left, the networking guru gave up.

I've thought about it since then and here are some conclusions.

1.  Go to the party when it begins if you can.  (I had appointments, so I couldn't that evening.)

2.  I didn't have far to walk so I could have left my coat in the car even though it was cold.

3.  I would have emailed my friend the day of the party to let him know that I would be there but later and perhaps, just perhaps, he would have looked for me.

4.  Nothing else at this time, but I am sure tonight in the middle of the night I'll think of something.

What would you recommend?