BE-NICE - Tips for Effective Networking everywhere!

BE-NICE - Tips for Effective Networking everywhere!
(CopyRight 2009; Benjamin Goh, www.bensglobal.com)

B for Bibliography. Prepare a 10 seconds short but memorable bibliography that communicates what you do and your target customers/audience. Be ready to share this as you will eventually be asked at one point in time.

E for Expertise. Share your area of expertise at the right time and right place. Be ready to share a solution to a problem or an expert view when asked. Effective networking starts from building a trust relationship that is beneficial for both parties.

N for Nice. Yes, be nice to everyone at all times. Be nice even to the service staff like waiters, etc, serving us during the event. Everyone likes to be with a nice person. Be sensitive to the body language displayed by everyone around you.

I for Interested, rather than be Interesting. Focus on others and what they have to say to you. Listen and be interested. Build the conversation around what they are telling you and ask them to tell you more. Don't rush into telling them about yourself until you are asked.

C for Cards. Always be armed with sufficient business cards that you can use to start a conversation or exchange contact information. You may also politely ask questions around the information found on the other party's business cards. This will allow you to analyze if she or he belongs to your target network.

E for Ease. Be at ease, be yourself, be confident and look for a friendly face and make a introduction of yourself. If not, get into a queue for coffee, food, etc., and strike up a conversation. Seek for opportunities where you can make eye contact with others and thus, strike a conversation.

After you managed to strike a conversation and network, always remember that all conversations will come to a conclusion at some point. Politely excuse yourself and thank the person for her or his time. And the final and most important thing to do is to follow up and follow through. Enjoy sharing and giving first without thinking of receiving and you are on your way to enjoying networking and building lasting relationships.