Effective networking comes with practice. As long as you have done some preparation and learn to relax, you will find the more you do it, the easier it becomes. To make the most of your networking opportunities, always bear the following in mind:

• Don’t go with an agenda. Have a glass of wine, relax and enjoy yourself. You may be surprised at what happens when you’re not trying so hard.
• Wear your name badge on the right. It’s where your eye goes to when you shake hands.
• Listen to what other people do first and (everyone is interested if you’re interested in them) and listen for link words that connect with who you are and what you do.
• Prepare a ‘what do you do’ answer that’s short, snappy and memorable.
• You will create a better first impression if you deliberately copy the pace and volume of the person you are speaking to.
• Keep a great updated brochure, business card or other form of information about yourself on you at all times.
• Use ‘hosts’ & organisers to introduce you to people, they are generally well connected and secondly it’s in their interest to do so.
• Find the key nodes in the network. Don’t find a marketing person, find someone who knows lots of marketing people and then invite that person to lunch.
• Remember who you spoke to , it can often be useful to make notes about a person on the back of their business card. Stay in touch with people you like and who are interesting even if they can’t help you immediately. Follow up on any lead, no matter how minor.
• Call a friend. Its not just about meeting new people, it’s also about nourishing our existing relationships. Call someone you haven’t seen in a while and ask them to come along. It’s a good opportunity to reconnect.