How to be the hero at your next networking session?

Have you ever been at one of those boring mixers that masquerades as a networking meeting?  The idea is  to meet and exchange connections to enhance your business success.   Your success depends a lot on your level of extroversion, instant likeability and a great 'elevator pitch'.  Typically people rush around trying to make as many connections as possible and exhanging business cards (many of which find their way into the waste basket when no one is wathcing).  

How to become the hero?

Here is my idea #1

Several years back I was attending some commercial real estate courses.   At the end of the last training day was the 'meet and greet social'.   This was to be a networking social.   I'd been to too many of those to get excited about it.  So to have some fun I persuaded those people that I knew to make up names for their tags.   So our group had names like;  Elvis, Madonna, Buddha, Ophra,   Jesus and Darth Vador. 

We had a blast and actually ended up making some real good connections.   What a great conversation starter to introduce yourself  like this....Hi my name is    Darth Vador and yours?

Another variation of the idea...

Suppose the attendees are told to come up with a name that in some way hinted at their line of business.   Here are some examples...

Spa owner......Serenity
Restaurant manager.....Delicious
Photographer......Snap Sizzle & Pop
Marketing......Inspire Desire
Real Estate....Homer
Banker....Johnny Cash
Well you get the idea and I'm sure that you could improve on my names.  

Bonus benefit....for those who tend to be introverted a good name can bring people to you.    I'm told introverted people tend to be more creative so maybe this will help level the field.