Have you done any networking lately?

I am prolific networker, whether it's at the school gate, the hairdressers, the local shop, the garage - anywhere where folk welcome a smile and a few pleasantries.  You don't have to be at a formal networking event to succeed and certainly these occasions provide great opportunities to practise.  And it’s important to remember though, new business might not just come from the people you get to meet, but from who they know.

However, if you do attend formal networking events, then I have a couple of  'Golden Rules'  for successful networking, I'd like to share with you.  They consistently work for me and they are not lifted from some glossy international No. 1 best selling book but are based on my own experiences.

Rule No1:
Leave behind any expectations of getting any work out of the networking event; if you attend in a predatory mood, people will avoid you. Predatory is deeply unattractive. You are there simply to enjoy yourself, meet people and share interesting (and potentially useful) information which could include knowledge, expertise and contacts.

Rule No.2:
Smile and mix!  If you see someone standing alone, bring them into your conversation.

Rule No 3: 
Networking is the effective use of one mouth and two ears.  What works is a rounded, honest and curious perspective. Be a good listener, but ask the right questions and then listen properly to the answers. Soft skills for hard results!

Rule No 4: 
Have your business cards and a pen with you and have them in a place where you can find them and hand them out.  How many times do you have a drink in one hand and struggle with the other to delve into a pocket or handbag to search out that ellusive little pile of cards.  When you receive a card and hand over yours, take a moment to write on the back the date, occasion and something from your conversation. With a database of over 8400 folk, how many business cards do you think I have amassed over the years, how else could I follow up proactively?

I hope that you will try out my Golden Rules for networking and bear in mind that the concept of networking goes on in every day life, and that like me you will come to see it as a way of life.

Jennie Hamilton