1.     Determine your weekly networking goals.

     a.       Identify the number and type of networking events to attend each week

     b.      Identify the number and type of new people to connect with at each evenu

     c.       What do you want to achieve from each networking event?

2.    Develop effective networking tactics and strategies.

      a.       Get each contact’s name from their name tag and use it in your conversation.

      b.      Listen intently before speaking.  Remember, you have two ears and one mouth –
      use in that proportion.

      c.       Ask questions to clarify points and show interest

      d.      Acknowledge points and ideas made by others

      e.       Find out what each contact does, what’s important to them, and what their top three
      strengths are

     f.       Determine one problem each contact is having (business or personal) and help them
     find a way to solve it (either directly yourself or through your network of contacts).

      g.      Ask for business cards and record date and location of networking event on back.
     This information will help you remember the person later when you do a follow up call.

      h.      Find out if each contact has a LinkedIn Profile and check it out to learn more about
      the contact and see if you know any of their connections (more common ground).

      i.        Follow up with each contact after the networking event is over (preferably by phone)
      and limit your initial follow up conversation to 5 minutes unless it naturally flows
      beyond that.

            j.      Find ways to smoothly break out of networking conversations so you can achieve your
           networking goals.

Example:  “I really enjoyed talking with you and I’ve learned a lot about what’s
important to you.  I’d like to follow up with you next week regarding some of the
issues we discussed.  Right now, I’d like to mingle with some other folks so I can
achieve my networking goals.“

k.   Remember, the best way to learn about others is by listening and asking questions first and
then finding out how you can help them.  If you help them, they’ll be more likely to want to
help you!

1.       

2.       

a.       

b.       

c.       

d.       

e.       

f.       

g.       

h.       

i.       

j.