Rob Frappier: Writer, Marketer, Nerd, All-Around Nice Guy

Last night, I attended the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer Oktoberfest Tweetup. It was my first time at such an event. These are my observations and lessons.

1. Eat First, It Calms The Nerves

My friends know that I’m not a shy person. Usually, I love to meet new people. In fact, it’s a personal point of pride that I can sit down with most anyone and talk about most anything without feeling uncomfortable. So, why is it then that before I entered the glass doors of the Hyatt Regency O’Hare I could feel my heart palpitating in my chest? There I was, about to enter a room filled with 100+ people who share my personal and professional interests (many of whom I follow on Twitter), and I’m pacing in the lobby wondering what I’m going to talk about.

Sensing my own nerves, I decided the best course of action would be to move in casually; get a beer from the bar; fill a plate with roast turkey, goulash, and various cheeses; and retreat safely to a table in the lobby where I could  eat, check my iPod Touch (which might make me look cool if someone saw me and assumed it was an iPhone), and strategize. This proved to be a winning tactic. Empowered by the free beer and free chow, I regained the confidence that had momentarily fled my side.

2. Be Yourself

I think part of the reason I was nervous initially was the fact that this was an industry event. These men and women weren’t strangers, they were my peers. I might work with them one day. If I came off sounding like an idiot, I wouldn’t be able to just shrug it off, because I might see the same people at the next tweetup.

After mellowing out with my food and beer, however, I thought to myself, “Hey! I’m not just some guy who stumbled into this party. I’m an experienced blogger and a pretty damn good copywriter and I know some stuff about marketing.” Upon that realization, I decided that I would just be myself. I would talk about the things that I knew and I would listen and learn about the things I didn’t know. If you’re not confident in yourself, why would anyone you meet be confident in you?

3. Seize Opportunities

Since I was only attending the Tweetup and not the entire conference, I was at somewhat of a disadvantage. The majority of the attendees had been together the whole day, so it was natural for them to form into small cliques at the Tweetup. In order to effectively initiate conversation and break into a small group, I had to seize opportunities where I could contribute something of value. As such, I ended up having conversations about Internet privacy, personal branding, and copywriting; areas I know and love.

If you find yourself at a networking event and you feel like the odd man (or woman) out, don’t just mope around. Keep your eyes and ears open for something familiar and seize the oppotunity to demonstrate your knowledge and make a new friend in the process.

All in all, I’d give my first tweetup a solid A. After some initial bumpiness, I hit my stide and got to meet some very cool and interesting professionals. Thanks to Marketing Profs for hosting a great event. I’ll definitely be back for more.