How to Meet Influencers - The Muse

How to Meet Influencers - The MuseHow to Meet Influencers If youre anything like me, you get pretty jealous when you hear about a friend or colleague who has managed to build a relationship with a well-known influencer. Its easy to think, Gee, Im smart and motivated too. Why cant I have that kind of relationship with an important rolle? And sure, the reality is that there are certain people in your field that youll have to get really lucky just to be around, let alone network with. But there are also some really interesting and knowledgeable people who dont have millions of followers, and a book, and a verified check mark on Twitter who you can get to know, too. Youll just need to think a bit outside the box to get a foot in the door. Here are a few tips to help you do just that. 1. Rethink Your Definition of an Important PersonOK, so you could make the decision that you want to meet important people in your field, but only if they have all the influence. And thats fine, but it would be unfair to say that these people are the only significant people you could meet. Instead of focusing only on these power players, reconsider your definition of what this person looks like. Is she influential in your field? Do you respect his opinions on some really important matters? Do you want to learn from her experience? Think about the types of questions that are important to you, and youll quickly realize that a persons social media following doesnt determine his or her importance alone. 2. Find Out Where They Hang Out Online- and EngageI know what youre thinking, and yes- not getting a response from someone on any of these platforms hurts, even if you knew the odds were low. But, the truth is that even if someone very important and influential doesnt have one million Twitter followers, odds are that he or she wont just publicly post a home phone number for interested networkers either. Its up to you to go to where they are and do your best to start the conversation. While it would be easy to assume that important people will simply ignore you, this is absolutely not always true. In fact, even some of those leaders with large followings can be pretty responsive on social media, so take a leap and strike up a conversation. 3. Ask for an Informational Coffee MeetingAfter a while of engaging with important people online, it would be easy to say, Hey, I did it This person knows I exist Time to celebrate And yes, that wouldnt be unreasonable. But, if youve built a relationship with someone who also happens to live in the same city, its perfectly OK to take another leap and ask for some time to pick his or her brain. In person. Over coffee, which you should pay for, even if this person makes a lot more money than you. As scary as that might sound, remember that youve taken the time to get to know him or her online- and in all likelihood, he or shes used to getting this kind of request anyway. So, its not like youll shock him or her into silence.Its easy to see the benefits of getting to know important people. Obviously they have some knowledge to impart on you, and could even open up some interesting career opportunities. But, if youre typically scared of pursuing these relationships like I am, that might sound ridiculous. However, the worst case scenario? That person says no. But, if youre respectful in the way you pursue the opportunities to meet some influential folks, theres no harm in at least making the effort. And youll likely be pleasantly surprised by the outcome more than once. Photo of man on computer courtesy of Shutterstock.