Seven Secrets for Successful Networking

Attending networking events is absolutely essential to developing and growing your business. While some people relish the thought of walking into a room filled with strangers, most don't. If you fall in the category of those who struggle to talk to people you've never seen before, a little bit of practice and preparation will go along way to helping you overcome "minglephobia."

Read the invitation or announcement carefully. Find out if this is a seated event or one where you will be standing up and walking around. This will affect how you will introduce yourself, how many people you will be able to meet and what kind of conversations you will have.

Consider taking a friend or colleague with you if the invitation is open to all. Having a companion will raise your comfort level. However, resist the urge to stick to your friend for security during the entire event. If you don't separate in order to mix and mingle, you might as well have stayed at the office or just taken your buddy out for a cup of coffee.

Establish an agenda for yourself. If you don't know why you are going, you won't know what you want to accomplish, and you will end up wasting valuable time. Think about the people with whom you'd like to establish a relationship or with whom you want to reconnect.

Plan some conversation starters before you go. If you think that you will automatically know what to say when you meet someone, you could be surprised. You may find yourself face-to-face with the businessperson you've been trying to reach for ages and no clue what to say.

Create a tag line for your introduction. The type of event and your reason for being there will influence what you say about yourself in your introduction. Take advantage of this opportunity to position yourself confidently and professionally.

Carry your networking tools-business cards and a pen. You want the people you meet to be able to contact you after the event and you may find the need to jot down some notes for that all-important follow-up.

Stay connected. All that effort will be in vain if you don't follow up and remain connected.

About the Author

© Lydia Ramsey, 2002. Lydia Ramsey, author of MANNERS THAT SELL, keynote speaker and seminar leader, is a leading authority on business etiquette and protocol. For more FREE business etiquette tips, click here: http://lydiaramsey.com/signup/index.html visit http://www.mannersthatsell.com/ or call 1-866-688-2527.



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