I have been networking for over 15 years and always see this important business ritual being done wrong all over the world.
Serious networking at the level that I’m used to is done very differently and gets results 100 times better than the conventional networking you are probably used to…
Below are my personal Top 10 tips for successful business networking:
1. Make sure you introduce yourself to the event organizer and registration person.
2. Do your homework in advance and pinpoint the people that you want to speak to.
3. Keep business cards without cell numbers so you can write them on and make it look personal.
4. When receiving a business card, write on it where you met the person and the conversation you had.
5. Always use the other person’s name two or three times during your conversation.
6. Ask the right questions.
7. Always network in a high-traffic area like the entrance, the lobby or the bar.
8. Introduce each new person you meet to at least one other person.
9. Make a date in your diary to next contact that person and organize to buy them lunch.
10. Follow up within 48 hours by sending your contact a picture and a conversation reminder.
