NETWORKING / 223It can be daunting to walk into a room full
of people, but there are ways to appear
composed. Smile as you walk in and look
for any existing acquaintances. Begin by
talking to people you know to help ease
you in, but don’t stay with them for more
than a few minutes.BE SELECTIVE
It may be hard to imagine now,
but with practice, you may well
come to enjoy networking. Be
methodical, and attend only
the events where you need to
be seen or are likely to meet
the people you want to meet.Tip
CHECKLIST...
Preparing for meetings YES NO1 Have I studied the attendance list and marked
people I want to meet? .....................................................................2 Have I researched those people beforehand? ................................3 Is there anyone I know already on the list? .....................................4 Do I know what the dress code is? ...................................................5 Do I have my business cards with me? ............................................Introducing yourself
If you don’t know anyone, join a group of
two or three people who don’t appear too
engrossed in conversation. Smile, and
say something like, “Hello, I hope I’m not
interrupting your conversation. I’m ...”.
Give your name and company. In almost
all cases they will smile back and invite
you to join them.
Where possible, try to enlarge the
group you’re talking with. This enables
you to meet more people and makes
it easier for you to move on when it
is appropriate. Do this by noting any
people standing nearby, and turning
toward them when you speak. By
addressing your comments to them
as well as the group, you will bring
them into the conversation.Connecting with delegates
Be attentive to the people in your group,
don’t scan the room beyond for other
prospects—this makes it impossible
to create rapport. Ask open questions
that will reveal common ground, and be
sure to give other people in your group
an opportunity to speak.
Exit your conversations politely. If
you want to keep in touch, make sure
that you exchange business cards. There
are rules about giving and receiving
business cards in some countries,
however, so do your research before
attending international gatherings.US_222-223_Networking_2.indd 223 30/05/16 3:03 pm