There are two questions you’re almost always guaranteed to get at a business networking event. If it’s the first time you meet someone, they will invariably want to know, “What do you do?” You must be prepared with a great answer to this question, but that’s for another article. The other question is going to be “How are you?”

If it’s a very close friend, and they know you’ve had problems, then they probably do want to know how you are and how you’re dealing with your difficulties. Everyone else is are just being polite. Whatever you do, don’t answer this question with a list of your problems.

You’ve been on the receiving end of this many times. You see someone you have a passing acquaintance with. “How are you?” you ask. They proceed to give you a long list of their problems and difficulties. By the time they are done, the load of negativity you picked up from them has put a damper on your day.

Don’t do this to other people. Regardless of how bad you might think things are, leave your problems outside the event. It’s not lying, it’s using good social skills. If you need positive feedback, let your friends know you need support, but otherwise, there are many good reasons to avoid discussing your problems:

* Unless that person is the cause of your problem, there’s nothing they can do about it.

* If this is the first time you’ve met them, you’re now labeled as a complainer in their mind.

* If you have to mention a body part that we can’t see, that’s way too personal, and you’ve made the other person very uncomfortable.

* You are injecting negativity into a situation that is meant to be fun, such as a networking or business event.

* You’re wasting time whining about your life when you could be building a connection that could solve your problem.

* Everybody has problems. And someone in that room has a much worse one than you do.

If you can focus on the positive and happy things in your life, you’ll feel better. Other people will be more positive with you and you’ll have more productive interactions. Don’t waste the opportunity to solve your problems instead of dwelling on them.

Looking for more networking tips, tricks, strategies & advice? Visit MeetingWave’s Networking Motivator Blog.

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.thenetworkingmotivator.com/ for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Consider yourself a people person? Are you an avid networker? Do your friends call you an “extrovert?” Good for you and welcome to the club. We extroverts are fortunate in the business world because we tend to enjoy networking more, so we usually get more out of it.

What about our introverted friends? Because most networking events are designed to favor extroverts, you’re probably spending a lot of time with other extroverted people who mirror our traits. It’s a lot harder to step out of the box (or maybe into it) and try to understand a personality style that’s different from our own.

But if you’re going to be successful in business, you must learn to understand, appreciate, and network with introverted people. Here are three reasons why you need to take the time and invest a few quiet thoughts toward understanding introverts better:

1. There are more introverts than you think.

I find a wide range of in the numbers, but introverts could be half the population. Do you really want to lose 50% of your potential allies and business partners because you didn’t bother to learn how to work with them?

2. You’ve probably horrified introverts without knowing it by treating them like an extrovert.

The “Golden Rule” says to treat people the way you want to be treated. To an extrovert, this might mean greeting someone effusively, giving them a big hug and immediately introducing them to five complete strangers. Other extroverts may love this treatment, but your new introverted friend is going to cringe. The “Platinum Rule” (as defined by Tony Allessandra) says to treat people the way they want to be treated. Introverts get pushed to match the behavior of extroverts all the time. Rarely does an extrovert work to slow down and match the style of an introvert. You will be greatly appreciated by the introverts you meet if you’ll treat them like they want to be treated instead of pushing them to be like you.

3. If you can understand their style, you can help them get more out of networking.

The first rule of good networking is to give and help others. If you can learn to understand introverts better, you can help them get more out of networking. This does not mean pushing them to network like an extrovert (see reason #2). It means finding ways to network with them and to help them meet other people using their own strengths and style. It may mean being their buddy at a large event, making sure that you break the ice for them and that they are never abandoned. You might introduce them to people you know one at a time over coffee. Mixers are not the end-all be-all of networking. Help them find more targeted events like lunchtime seminars or speed networking. By helping them get what they want (more business, new contacts, etc.) in a way that makes them feel comfortable, they’ll help you get what you want. You’ll build a wonderful, long-term relationship built on understanding.

Conclusion

Extroverts, take a few minutes to slow down, gather your thoughts, and think about he introverted people you’ve met and are going to meet. While American society seems to value extroversion more, you’ll know the truth. If you don’t take time to seek out and understand introverted people, you are missing out meeting and getting to know some amazing people.

Looking for more networking tips, tricks, strategies & advice? Visit MeetingWave’s Networking Motivator Blog.

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.thenetworkingmotivator.com/ for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Are you the founder, leader or member of a business referral group (also called a leads club)? Then you know how valuable it is to have a group of people dedicated to providing business leads to each other. This focused form of networking has helped people build their business revenues for decades. But what if your group is new, rebuilding, or growing too slowly to provide a good return on investment? You need to grow your group.

How big is the right size for a leads club? You need to get the size of the group to a point where there are plenty of leads passed. The group also needs to be large enough where there’s a buzz of energy and a sense of anticipation at the referral business that will be generated. There’s not an exact number. Even a group of three or four people can make it work if they are in complimentary businesses. Fifty people might be too many to get through introductions. Fifteen to twenty-five should be workable in terms of giving everyone a chance to speak and be heard.

How do you build membership for your referral leads club? Here are six specific strategies to use.

Recruit Promoters

Look for the most enthusiastic networker you know and bring them in to your group. Their energy and excitement will help boost the morale of your other members. And, they are likely to be one of your strongest recruiters. Their successes become stories that they’ll tell to everyone they network with. Others will want to get a piece of that pie as well.

Word of Mouth

Unless you’ve got an advertising budget, word of mouth (i.e. “referrals”) is going to be your most powerful marketing tool. Even if you have a marketing budget, think carefully before buying ads. Unless you can target them, you’re likely to either spend too much to reach your needed categories or you’ll get too many phone calls from untrained networkers looking to make a quick buck. Word of mouth also allows you to control who is invited to consider the group. Compatibility is important; potential members should have a long-term mindset and understand that they have to give first. Train your existing members how to describe the group and use phrases that sell the benefits (not the features).

Show Value

When talking to a prospective member, you’ve got to illustrate the value of the group. The more specific you can get, the better. For example, the number of members is okay, but the number of leads passed is even more preferred. Can you put a dollar value on the leads passed? Money changing hands is an impressive way to show prospective members that the group is performing as promised.

Follow Up

Don’t assume that a guest will know that they are wanted as a member. Call before the next meeting and invite them back. Find out if they liked what they saw. Don’t forget to close: “Is this the kind of group you want to be part of? When will you be joining?” Make sure that they get a thorough orientation so that they understand how the group works before they sign up. Sour grapes from someone who thought they were getting instant business will poison the group’s reputation.

Invite “Power Partners”

Survey your existing members to find out what kind of businesses they could refer to the most; and who would refer back to them. Deliberately seek to invite those kinds of businesses. Your existing members should already have someone they know, like, trust and want to do business with. You may be bringing in people who are already referring to one of your members, but they’ll add to the energy of the group. Plus, the established relationship means it’s easier for other members to start doing business with them as well.

Visit Open Networking Events

Attend other events such as after work social hours. People at those events are obviously aware of the value of networking so they’ll make a more receptive audience. You can sell them on the idea of being part of a group dedicated to finding business for each other. They’ll be excellent referrers if they continue to go to open networking events.

Conclusion

The most important part of marketing a business referral group is to be consistent, persistent and active. It takes time to develop a group because it takes time for people to build up trust. Stick with it because your patience will pay off. Finally, enhance your patience with action. If you’re the leader of the group, you’ve got to be the head cheerleader and the champion lead-giver. Your members will be encouraged to follow your example, they’ll all get more business and their success will attract others.

Looking for more networking tips, tricks, strategies & advice? Visit MeetingWave’s Networking Motivator Blog.

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.thenetworkingmotivator.com/ for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Do you know someone who you think would be a great addition to your networking referral group? Here’s how to bring up the subject and important questions to ask before you make the final invitation to join the group.

“I’m glad I’ve had the chance to build a business relationship with you. You’ve got a great networking philosophy. Are you part of a leads group right now?”

If they are part of a leads group, you have the choice of wishing them the best in their group or trying to “steal” them away. Stealing them might not be the best approach if you’re taking a long-term networking perspective. The leader of that group is someone you might want to network with in the future. Don’t upset them by taking a member from them. You wouldn’t want it done to you.

They might say that they’re already in a leads group, but that they don’t like it or that it’s not working for them. Before you blurt out an invitation, find out a few things. How long have they been in the group? Less than a couple months may mean they haven’t given it a chance to work and they don’t have a long term perspective. Is this their first group? Hopping from group to group suggests they are skimming of business and then moving on to a new group. How many leads do they usually take to the group? No leads, then no wonder it’s not working. They haven’t figured out that you have to give first.

If you’ve spent time with the prospective member and you have seen evidence that they are a patient, give first networker, it’s not likely that they’ll have these kinds of problems. Their current group may simply not be a good fit for them either due to the member dynamics or the time and location. Offer them a spot and encourage them to part their old group on good terms.

They may say that they are not in a leads group right now, but they have been in one previously. As with the person who is already in a group, ask some questions. How long have they been away from their old group? Why did they leave their old group? Have they been searching for a new one? Again, you want to find out right away if they are just visiting groups long enough to get some business. If their past experience with a group was good but they had to leave due to relocation or a new job, you’ve found a double gold mine. This is someone who knows the value and could help you build up your current group once their on board.

The final answer that you are most likely to get is “I don’t know what a leads group is.” You should be prepared with a good, short description of a leads club and how it works. You are their first teacher when it comes to referral groups so make sure you emphasis the relationship building aspect, the need for patience, and the give-first strategy. If they’re already a good networker, they will probably be eager for the opportunity to take their business and their networking to another level.

Now that you feel confident that this person is a good addition to your group, don’t forget the most important step in sales: closing. Ask them if they like what you’ve told them about the group. You can say “assuming that the time and location is convenient, should I go ahead and add you to the member list?” Or, another closing statement is, “I think we both agree that this will be a great fit for us both. Here’s the membership application. You can fill it out now or bring it to the next meeting.”

However you say it, don’t let the conversation end without a clear invitation from you to them to join the group.

Are you making one of these five networking mistakes that even experienced sales and business people make? Visit business networking site to find out (without cost or obligation) if you are.

Looking for more networking tips, tricks, strategies & advice? Visit MeetingWave’s Networking Motivator Blog

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.thenetworkingmotivator.com/ for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Are you the organizer of a professional networking group? New members are important, especially if you want to keep the energy up and the business leads coming. Here are some tested strategies for making sure that you are finding people, recruiting them and getting them to stay involved in your leads club.

Find Them at Networking Events

People who are “good” networkers understand that it takes time to build relationships to the point where business can be done. Look for people at events who seem to be more interested in the other person. Their focus will be how they can help the other person and not how they can immediately qualify them as a prospect or sell them on the spot. These people will already have a philosophy that will contribute to their success in the referral group. It takes time, patience and a giving attitude to be successful in a leads club.

Find them by Referral

Your existing members who are enjoying their result are your best source of referrals for new members. They are probably either well connected or excellent at asking questions (that’s how they bring in many of their leads). They’ll be eager to show off their success with the group. Dedicate a part of each meeting to training your existing members how to find potential new members. Use good referral group language: “A good lead for this group is…” You may have specific categories that you want to fill. Or you might tell you members that a good lead for the group is someone who is a patient and giving networker who is looking to take their business to the next level. Make it a countable lead to bring appropriate (meaning their category is open) guests to the group. Recognize and reward your top referring members and encourage everyone in the group to refer.

Recruiting

You may have been part of the group for several years so you’re familiar with how much business gets done behind the scenes, but a first time guest will have no way of knowing. This may be one of the few times the meeting runs late, the leadership is sloppy, or members had a bad week with hardly any leads. But this will be the first and perhaps only impression your guests will have of your group. It is hard to tell someone that “It’s rarely like this” when 100% of their experience is like that. A well-run, consistent meeting with good strong leads passed is one of your best recruiting tools.

If your group is new or small with few leads being passed, emphasize education in the meeting. Show a new guest that you are working on helping each other learn and that you are all actively seeking to improve your lead-giving. It can be good to be on the ground floor as long as the group is actively working on building their foundation.

Explain every role, every agenda item and every step…every time. Your potential new member will understand the purpose, format and activities much better than if they were given a written sheet to read and follow. Plus it’s good for your existing members to be reminded and refreshed on the rules and agenda.

Make sure that someone is responsible for talking with the potential new member after the meeting. If they feel it is a good fit, don’t let them leave without a strong “close.” Ask them if they liked what they experienced. Would they like to be part of it? Then tell them what it takes to become a member.

Retention

Members will stay as long as they are getting “enough” business. Everyone is going to have a different amount of business which will be satisfactory to them. This can be tricky if people have unrealistic expectations. At the bare minimum, they need to be making back their monetary investment for dues, travel and meals. They also should make enough to pay for their time. If they could spend that same amount of time doing something else that makes them more money, then they should be doing that.

Of course, if everything we did in business was logically and thoughtfully based on the highest return on investment of the time, then no one would ever watch YouTube at work. Logic doesn’t always rule; emotion and feelings do. If your members FEEL connected to the group and if they get some of their emotional or social needs met by the group, they will be more likely to stay, even if they’re not making a great deal of money.

It’s up to you as the leader of the referral group to not only encourage and train members to find and refer business to each other, but also to make sure that members are engaged with the group.

Are you making one of these five networking mistakes that even experienced sales and business people make? Visit business networking site to find out (without cost or obligation) if you are.

Looking for more networking tips, tricks, strategies & advice? Visit MeetingWave’s Networking Motivator Blog

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.thenetworkingmotivator.com/ for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Referrals are one of the best ways to get new business. They don’t cost anything (outside of the years you spent building your network and your reputation). They usually deliver prospects who are much closer to buying (because the referring person prepped them for you). And those referred clients can become excellent referrers themselves.

A memorable and specific description of your ideal lead is key to getting more referrals. It starts by letting people know that you appreciate and honor the referrals they send you. But they’ll have a hard time sending you leads if they’re confused about what to look for.

Too many people describe their ideal lead as anyone who has skin, or breathes air, or owns a home, or wants to make more money or lose weight. That’s just about everyone. In sales, a confused mind says no. In referrals, a mind with too broad a target will hit none.

Saying someone who “needs” something is too vague. How do we know what someone else needs? Some experienced networkers will approach an event with a specific need in mind, but most people just know that they have a problem that they want solved. Sometimes they don’t even know what will solve it.

You need to give your referral partners a specific, narrow description of people’s behavior so that when they encounter your ideal client, they will instantly recognize them.

Here’s a formula for writing your perfect lead description.

Start with “A great lead for me is… “

Insert a phrase that includes a noun and then a verb that describes that person, place, or business. For example: “…someone who has…” or “…people that say…” or “…businesses that work with…” or “…companies that experience…”

Now state either a problem or a recognizable behavior. This is something that you can solve. For example: “…trouble keeping employees” or “…just started their business” or “…a very high electric bill” or “…they don’t get good results from their advertising.”

Finally, finish with a very brief statement of how you can help them. The more specific the better. “I can help them save up to 50% on their power bill.” or “I can show them where to get the most for every advertising dollar.” or “I work exclusively with businesses who are less than a year old.”

Take the time to write out this statement and refine it until it sounds natural when you say it out loud. Rewrite it and study it until you have it memorized. You should use this frequently in your networking referral leads group and when you spend time with your referral partners. They’ll find it much easier to recognized your ideal client and to promote and refer your business.

Are you making one of these five networking mistakes that even experienced sales and business people make? Visit business networking site to find out (without cost or obligation) if you are.

Looking for more networking tips, tricks, strategies & advice? Visit Meetingwave’s Networking Motivator Blog

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.thenetworkingmotivator.com/ for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Leads are the lifeblood of any professional networking referral group. If you’re the leader of such a group or if you belong to a leads club, here are proven methods for encouraging more lead giving.

1. Create a policy on what counts as a lead and have a reminder statement read out loud at the beginning of every meeting. It is the choice of the group founder as to what counts as a lead, but it should always support the development of business. It will not instill confidence in potential new members (and it will frustrate existing members) if there isn’t real business being done and real money changing hands.

2. Have members be very clear in their description of what is a good lead for them. Everyone” is not a good lead. “Everyone who… breathes/has skin/wants more money” is not a good lead. They need to describe that potential referral in such detail that others can see that person in their mind’s eye. And when they run into that perfect referral, there is no question that they are a good lead for your referral club member.

Here is an examples of an excellent descriptions of a good lead:

“A good lead for me is someone who always has to apologize for the quality (or lack) of their copies, who prints everything in black and white, or whose business has to produce a great number of copies.”

Do you know what this person does? Do you already know someone who fits this description? This specific description makes it much easier to identify a lead than if the description was “any business.”

Here’s another good description:

“A good lead for me is a professional woman who is very busy, but wants to take great care of her skin. She probably notices other women with great skin and may ask them what they use because she’s not happy with her current results.”

3. Hold a contest. It doesn’t take a huge prize, but everyone loves to win even a small item. An internal contest between members is good, but competing against another group is even better. Members of the group band together instead of competing against each other. The Clovis Chamber has two leads clubs. One recently challenged the other group to a leads-generating contest. The Membership Director even offered the prize of a website banner ad for the winning group each quarter. Leads have increased nearly 20% in both groups.

4. Ask top lead givers to share their secrets. It’s a win for everyone. If the top lead giver teaches other people how to give more leads, they may be the recipient of some of that increased business.

5. Help members remember each other. Even a simple listing of names and companies is enough to job memories. Encourage members to have this sheet with them at all times. Maybe create it in a small booklet form. If they look at it every day, they will find more ways to give leads because their brain is seeking ways to connect.

Conclusion

As your members become more active and more enthusiastic, the momentum will help your group grow. You may not need to do all of these activities all the time, but keep these tools handy whenever the leads slow down.

Are you making one of these five networking mistakes that even experienced sales and business people make? Visit business networking site to find out (without cost or obligation) if you are.

Looking for more networking tips, tricks, strategies & advice? Visit Meetingwave’s Networking Motivator Blog

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.thenetworkingmotivator.com/ for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Professional networking groups (also called leads clubs or referral groups) are a very specific kind of networking organization. Only one representative is allowed from any particular business category. No duplication is allowed, so for example there will only be one real estate agent, one financial planner, one mortgage lender, etc. Groups will meet every week or sometimes every other week with the sole purpose of getting to know other people in the group and then providing leads to them.

Business people join these groups specifically to generate leads, meaning people or businesses who are looking for their services or products and have expressed an interest in finding out more. Membership in a business referral or leads group can be tremendously profitable if you are getting enough leads to make the time and money spent worthwhile.

Here are three ways to get more leads from your referral group:

*Choose the right group. When looking for a group, ask how many leads the pass each meeting. Research the other members to see if there are any complementary businesses to yours. Do they emphasize good quality leads or do they allow nearly anything to count? Find out how long they’ve been around and what the average tenure is for members. A long-term stable group is likely to produce a good result that keeps people around.

*Consistently use the same clear and memorable description of the ideal lead for you. The more vivid you make the picture of that perfect client or person who absolutely needs you, the easier it is for other members of the group to think of you when they encounter that client. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a broader, more generic description will get you more leads. A generic description that doesn’t create a picture in the minds of other people will mean that instead of everyone, they are imagining no one. In sales, a confused mind says “no.”

*Give more leads. How can you expect to receive if you’re not willing to give? The best way to get a business person’s attention is to give them an outstanding referral. Every time you give them business, they will think more highly of you. You’ll prove that you are interested in investing in the long-term health of the group and their businesses. This will result in great leads and more business for you.

To get the most out of your business networking group membership, apply these three principals. Pick the right group, be descriptive in what makes a good lead, and always seek to give leads first. You’ll find that your referral group will be a great investment of your time and money.

Are you making one of these five networking mistakes that even experienced sales and business people make? Visit Beth’s business networking site to find out (without cost or obligation) if you are.

About the Author: Beth Bridges is The Networking Motivator ™ and creator of the 5 Part Networking Success Plan ™, a simple networking system that can help anyone from business owners to sales agents to college students develop a powerful network. Subscribe to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter at http://www.TheNetworkingMotivator.com for a quick boost of networking inspiration, information and motivation.”

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

Smart business networking techniques can help you make new connections for career advancement. When you network with others, your goal is to provide value to everyone you meet. In return, they’ll provide value to you by becoming walking advertisements for you as an employee or a business owner. The following 10 tips can show you how to make the most out of every business interaction you have:

Have The Right Attitude

Networking should be a mutually beneficial activity. Both you and the people you are networking with should get something out of the experience. If you’re in it for yourself, people are going to see through you pretty quickly.

Set your goals. Before you attend networking events or put yourself out there, know what you want to get out of the experience, whether it’s finding a new job or just making contact with people in your industry.

Be happy. Networking events aren’t gripe sessions. Before you attend an event, put on a happy face. If you’re using a social networking site, be sure that your posts and profile are positive.

Provide Value

Be willing to teach others. You can provide value in your networking circles by teaching others how to create the same kind of successes that you have had in your field. If you emphasize teaching or offer to act as a mentor, you’ll be able to provide value to others and increase your standing within your circle.

Listen to other people. When you are at an event, you should take time to listen to what others have to say instead of just pushing your own agenda. If you’re networking online, you should read other people’s posts and offer feedback on their articles or blog posts.

Focus on giving. When you meet someone new, ask yourself what you can offer and give them instead of what they can give to you. It could be as simply as acting as a sounding board for someone, or you could connect someone with a new job. Give testimonials about other people, and introduce others whenever you can.

Have A Follow-Up Strategy

Thank people at the event. Once the event is over, be sure to thank people for talking with you. If you had a good connection with certain people, be sure to trade cards and make plans for follow up in the future.

Use thank-you cards. If there’s someone who really went out of her way to help you at an event or in your career (like with a testimonial or a job contact), be sure to send a formal thank you card to thank them for their time.

Online Networking

Post a profile on the major networking sites. If you don’t have a social networking profile in today’s day and age, you are doing yourself a disservice.

Connect with others in your field via social networking. Many times, professionals will start social networking profiles and then let them sit dormant. Use these to put out the word about new developments in your career, share helpful information and connect with people you might otherwise not have connected with.

About the Author: Courtney Ramirez is an SEO Copywriter and Ghostwriter specializing in online communication. For more about her work and experience, visit here.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (including the author’s bio and the links www.meetingwave.com).

A lot of people in search for a job think twice before engaging into business networking.  They don’t see themselves as networking material, this is, they don’t believe anyone will have an interest in talking to them or even less take time out of their schedules to help them.

Before you take this path and torture yourself with these thoughts, consider these:

1.    People’s natural instinct is to help.  It comes natural to us.  When you see someone in need, the first thing you want to do is give him or her a hand in any way you can, right?

2.    Most probably the person you are talking to has been in your same situation or a similar one, thus, he or she will relate and will want to give back.  In this time of continuous lay-offs, it is very probable that you will meet someone who was looking for a job not too long ago and was also requesting others for a few minutes of their time.  You are just giving them an opportunity to help others.

3.    Maybe they will see you for their own convenience.  Someone may think you are a future potential networking source.  Good networkers know that building a successful network is a continuous process, and they are always on the look for new faces.

4.    You may have something the other person needs, perhaps information, experience, or connections.  If you have networked before, you may have valuable and relevant information about your industry.  Read professional journals, articles, and books.

5.    When meeting with a manager, see it this way:  this is a part of his or her job; he or she is in the position to identify good talent, and there is no way they can find that talent if they don’t meet the candidates.  There won’t necessarily be an open position right away; however, after meeting you, the manager will keep you in mind for future opportunities.

6.    It is possible that someone knows about a job opportunity but doesn’t mention it to you, and this is a common tactic used to maintain the meeting more casual and to be able to assess you without the pressure and demands of a job interview.

7.    You may impress someone with the way you introduced yourself or with how you talked about your background, and he or she may agree to give you some time because you caught his or her attention.  This is a very good opportunity that we hope you take advantage of to start business networking or begin your own network.

The truth is that people have more than one reason to meet you, so, you have two choices: either you network or you are out of work.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.meetingwave.com as the original source).