Networking

Top 5 Tips On Networking Events
By Tim Gibbon

1. Choose your networking events carefully. Make sure that you are attending an event that is applicable to you. Ask yourself, why am I going to this event and what am I likely to achieve? Perhaps set yourself some objectives and goals, e.g. how many people you will talk to. Build a list of the best 'relevant' events.

2. Try and ascertain who is attending, and how many people are going to be there. If you don't have an idea of who is going to be there, assess the event venue and location and similar. Ascertain how long the event is running, who is organiser and sponsors.

3. Take business cards, because you never know who you are going to meet. Also take pen to jot things down. However, we advise that you don't just attend to collect business cards because anyone is going to pick up on that negative karma. Long gone are the days of hard sell. Networking and relationship building is the way forward and is here to stay.

4. Smile, appear to be approachable and introduce yourself. In a way networking events can be unnatural, throwing people together in a room and expecting them to get along. They aren't the easiest things to arrange and experience. Remember that you are there to meet people and so are they. Therefore, don't be shy and don't stay with the people you came with 'all' night - mingle.

5. When you have met people, keep the relationships open. There are so many ways to communicate, especially online. Find out where they go, and possibly arrange to meet again at another event.

Overall be prepared to share, but don't be a mug. Learn to identify those individuals that look as if they are types that only believe in one way relationships, they are people to avoid. Be realistic. The Internet it great, but you can't beat meeting people face to face.

Tim Gibbon - Account Director, Elemental PR