We’ve all been to one: loud music, people huddled in clicks, and little to no guidance from the host. I’m talking about poorly run networking events. The kind of events that spike the anxiety of us introverts and solo attendees.

But nobody wants to throw a bad event. The host wants to make sure everyone is having a good time and leaves having made meaningful connections. The problem is that nobody taught us how to throw a great networking party.

That was until Nick Gray wrote The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, a step-by-step handbook that teaches you how to build big relationships by hosting small gatherings.

Nick is a firm believer that hosting these simple, lightweight gatherings will accelerate your network. And he’s given us the playbook for how to do just that.

In this conversation, we cover how to make sure people show up, 4 secrets for hosting a great event, and how to politely kick people out at the end of your party. Nick also gives me an answer for the perfect number of attendees and the best day of the week to host your networking party.

And actually, since this recording, I’ve been to two cocktail parties that used Nick’s book to host their event, and they have both been far superior to the typical networking events. But they weren’t flashy events with paid bartenders, catering, and a DJ, no they were well-run events and a great use of my time. I met a lot of incredible people and left feeling excited to continue those conversations.

If you want to expand your network and know how to throw a simple yet amazing networking event, this is the episode for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Why hosting consistent, small gatherings is the ultimate networking tool
• NICK: 4 secrets for hosting a great event
• The importance of name tags even when you know everyone at the event
• How to run icebreakers and an easy example to use at your event
• Why you shouldn’t host dinner parties
• The perfect number of attendees to have
• How to politely kick people out
• The perfect day of the week to host your networking party
• Nick’s recommendation for event-hosting platforms
• How to ensure people show up to your party
• When to send and what to include in your reminder communication

Mentions:

Nick’s event hosting platform recommendations: Partiful (https://partiful.com/) and Mixily (https://www.mixily.com/)

More of Nick:

The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings: https://www.amazon.com/2-Hour-Cocktail-Party-Relationships-Gatherings-ebook/dp/B0B2KW6T7J

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickgraynews

More of The Struggle is Real:

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