Networking for Professionals - Top 5 List for Improving Results

CPA's, lawyers, engineers use networking to meet potential clients (as do business owners, entrepreneurs, and so many others!).

When professionals network to find clients, here are 5 best practices that lead to better results.

1. Go where clients gather.  Not all network events are equal.  The managing director of an accounting firm told me yesterday that many Chamber of Commerce events are "mostly salespeople talking to other salespeople." If you're looking for salespeople, great!  If you're looking for business owners and decision-makers, you're in the wrong place.
   
   
2. Know why you're there. You can set goals and objectives for the outcome you want from the event, such as "meet at least 5 interesting people" and "arrange follow-ups with at least 3 people."  You're not there for the chicken wings, or to talk to the people you already know, or to add volume to your business card collection.
   
   
3. Arrive early.  This lets you get used to being in a crowd while it's still small. If you go to the name tag table, you can also see who's coming that you might especially want to meet. You may even take the role of greeter and connector.
   
   
4.  Focus on first impressions.  Pay attention to your own and others' body language, handshake, appearance, expressions, and first words.  You get (and give!) more information from the first few seconds of a relationship than you realize. 
   
   
5. Listen.  The best first impression you can make is being a great listener.  And the more you listen, the more you learn, the better you'll know the people you're meeting. Conversely, the more you talk...

These are 5 of the best of best practices for improving results at networking events.  There are so many more available at the micro-seminar on networking next Wednesday. To learn more, click Networking Micro-Seminar