Top ten tips for a successful network

At a time when we have all become dependent on people like LinkedIn To make connections and find new leads, you would have thought business events and local networking functions would have died a dead end. However, in recent years, more entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs have looked to their neighbors and communities for new revenue streams to help their brand progress further.

So how do you get involved? While it’s all very well to attend trade shows and networking sessions, how do you make the most of every opportunity? Here are ten top tips to help make your attendance high-impact.

1. Attention! Regardless of who you talk to or how interested you think they will be in your products or services, make sure you focus every conversation 100%. It’s important that people know they have your full attention; It’s not just about good business sense, it’s about good manners.
2. To be prepared. Have a few examples of what you can do, whether it’s a brochure, a catalog, or an iPad with some product photos and videos uploaded. Be sure to give each person you meet something to bring that includes your contact information.
3. Weather. Find out who’s coming to the show beforehand and schedule an appointment if there’s someone specific you’d like to meet – make the most of your time by meeting the right people face-to-face.
4. Be memorable. Don’t network in a bad mood – be bubbly, bright and friendly to make sure people remember you for all the right reasons.
5. Present yourself. Shine your shoes, wax your mustache, don’t wear your green sweater with a hole in your arm and last night’s curry on your forehead. You represent the way you do business, so look the part.
6. Listen. Remember what people tell you. Everyone likes a good listener and there is nothing more embarrassing than forgetting someone’s name because you weren’t paying attention.
7. Engage. Do what you say you will do. Follow through with the brochure she promised and call when she told you she would: make ‘reliability’ her middle name.
8. Refer with a dot. Only introduce people if you really think the contact will benefit both of you.
9. To be professional. Do not use and do not drink if it will not keep you alert. A sense of humor will go a long way, but be careful not to offend. Lewd, feminist or racist jokes are prohibited: no matter how comfortable you feel, others may not share the same taste for comedy.
10. Be genuine. Don’t try to mislead anyone about what you do, the size of your company, or the fact that you drive a Fiat, not a Ferrari. People like honesty; they trust it. They certainly won’t invest time, effort, and cash on someone who tells lies to get ahead.