1. Look Presentable
You only get one shot at making a first impression, so make sure your first is your best! You'll want to be dressed professionally and look well-groomed.
2. Be Approachable
Be conscious of the signals your body language is throwing off. For example, standing with your arms crossed with a slight scowl and looking uninterested screams "please don't talk to me". Instead, plaster on a very warm and inviting smile, stand up straight, and look confident and happy to be in attendance.
3. Have an Objective/Game Plan
When considering the types of events that are right for you, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- What do I hope to accomplish from attending this event?
- Is this an event that my target market would attend?
- Is there a certain person/people that I hope to connect with?
- How can I be of assistance?
If you don't have an end game in mind, what exactly is your reason for attending? Networking should be looked at as another important strategy in your overall marketing plan, not just another opportunity to schmooze.
4. Focus on Connections, Not Sales
The purpose of networking is NOT to walk in and try to sell your products or services. Instead, you want to focus on building genuine, quality connections. Now is not the time to give your sales pitch to any listening ear in the room. The "sales" aspect will come later. Can you imagine a random person walking up to you and giving you a sales pitch without so much as an introduction? Annoying, right? So don't be that person. Your attitude should be that of "how can I help you?" or "I would love to get to know you better". Successful networkers know that building a business is all about building relationships.
5. Don't Forget Your Business Cards
Sounds like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people attend networking events without a business card. Say what?! Your business card is your calling card. How else do you expect people to contact you? If a business owner does not have a business card, I can't take them seriously.
6. Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up
Perhaps the most important aspect of the networking process is the follow-up. It is the beginning of forming an essential relationship. Unless you have a razor-sharp memory, a really great way to recall details and specifics of the people you meet and the conversations you've had is to jot down brief notes on the back of their business card. That way, when you reach out to them (preferably within a day or two after the event so you're still fresh in their mind), you have a point of reference and your conversation will be more genuine.
As a point of reference, you should aim to introduce your business to at least 30 new people per week. Keep this in mind when developing your networking strategy.