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Home » Marketing Articles » 22 Tips To Use At A Networking Event

22 Tips to Use at a Networking Event

Networking events have been part of the business and social scene for as long as anyone can remember. For many people, they make a trip to the dentist seem fun. For others, networking events are enjoyable, but because of who they have to spend time with, they wish they had scheduled a visit to the dentist.

Regardless of your feelings on the subject, when attending an event, it's important to have the perspective that your goal should be to help others first. Unfortunately, it's an old cliché that is often left at the door. The next time you're headed to an event, keep in mind the following simple, helpful rule: after it's all said and done, you want to have earned the right, privilege, honor, and respect to be able to meet with them again. This is not a license to sell yourself, but an opportunity to build a relationship.

- When you arrive at a networking event, avoid gravitating to people you know. You should initially thank the host and then immediately find someone new to introduce yourself to. This will help keep you in the right frame of mind as to why you came.

- Stop selling and start listening! When you meet someone for the first time, use it as an opportunity to get to know them. Don't try to sell them anything. Rather, begin to establish a relationship.

- Keep your business cards in the breast pocket of your coat, a shirt pocket, or in an outside pocket of your purse so they are easy to access and in good condition.

- When giving a person your card, personalize it by hand writing your cell number on it. This will cause the recipient to feel that they are receiving something special.

- When giving or receiving a business card, be especially careful when dealing with people from outside the US as many cultures treat them with very high regard.

- When receiving a card from someone, take a moment to write yourself a note on it such as where you met. If you do this while you're still talking to the person, it will help convey your sense of personal connection.

- During the course of a conversation, use the other person's first name two or three times. People always like to hear their own name and it will help you to remember it when the discussion is over.

- Rather than telling a new contact all about yourself, spend your time asking them questions. It's amazing how much you'll learn!

- After you meet someone for the first time, use the back of their business card to jot a note about something you learned from the conversation and the date and place you met them. Recording the information will give you something to talk to them about the next time you see them.

- Connect with the person you're talking to by tilting your head as you listen to them. It is an effective body language technique which communicates that you're paying attention to what they're saying.

- When a person is talking to you, be sure to look directly at them. Giving a person full attention with your eyes will encourage them to share more.

- When giving someone eye contact, remember it's not a "stare-down" contest. Give the person 3 – 5 seconds of eye contact and then look away briefly before returning your focus to them again.

- The best location to network is by a high-traffic area such as a main door, the bar, or near the food.

- Never approach someone if they are walking towards the restroom or if they have a phone in their hand. Wait until they have returned to the networking area or put their phone away.

- After the person has shared something with you, ask them another question about what they just said. This shows that you're paying attention and that you care about what they're telling you.

- Always keep one hand free to allow yourself to shake hands with people. This means that you shouldn't eat and drink at the same time. Remember, you're there to network, not eat a full-course meal.

- As a way of demonstrating your networking skills, introduce each new person you meet to at least one other person.

- Never try to barge into a group of 4 or more people. Come along side of the group, but do not attempt to enter into the discussion until you've made eye contact with everyone and a minimum of two other people in the group have said something.

- Do not approach two people who are talking, as you may be interrupting an important discussion.

- Initiate conversation with someone who is standing by themselves. They'll be happy to have someone to talk to them and, as a result, will many times open up with valuable information.

- When you meet someone for the first time, you have 48 hours to follow up with them before they will completely forget about meeting you.

- A networking event is not a time to see how many business cards you can acquire. Rather, it is a time to develop a few relationships that have potential.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

What Is Reverse Merger, And Is It For Everyone? Part 1

A reverse merger is a method used by many small and mid-cap companies to initially go public, its the purchase of, and reverse merger into, an existing public shell company. This is inexpensive compared with conventional Initial public offerings (IPO). This is also a simplified fast track method by which a private company can become a public company.

In a reverse merger, an operating Private company merges with a public company that has little or no assets, nor known liabilities (the "shell"). A shell is what remains of a once public company that has ceased to operate, by going bankrupt or liquidation of assets. In some rare instances, the shell may have some amount of cash remaining for investment into the new enterprise. The public corporation is called a "shell" since all that exists of the original company is its corporate shell structure and shareholders. The private company owners obtain the majority of the shell corporation's stock (usually 90-95%) through a new issue of stock for the private enterprise or asset.

The public corporation will normally change its name to the private company's name and elect a new Board of Directors which will appoint the officers. The public corporation will usually have a base of shareholders sufficient to meet the 300 shareholders requirement for eventual admission to quotation on the NASDAQ Small Cap Market or American Stock Exchange (if the private company's financial condition substantiates other NASDAQ or AMEX requirements). The company must file a form S-4, this form is use to register securities in connection with Business combinations and exchange offers. although some shells have as few as 35-50 shareholders, and are currently listed (or can apply for listing) on the OTC Bulletin Board or the NQB Pink Sheets.

A Reverse Merger may be the quickest way to go public but is it the best?Lets look at a few drawbacks of using a Reverse merger to take your company public.

(1). The cost of the shell: the price of corporate shells has skyrocketed over the last couple of years, due to increased SEC scrutiny and demand for shells by Chinese companies looking to go public and trade in the U.S.

The price of public shells today start at $500,000.00 and people are paying it. With all the other expenses the final cost of doing a Reverse Merger could be close to one million dollars.

(2). Greedy shell owners: The shell owner not being satisfied with the $500,000.00 Plus he gets for the shell and usually keeps 5-15% of the shares for himself.

The shell owner's shares will come out and cause problems for your share price when you least expect it, even if he sign an agreement not to sell for a year, he can not be trusted, it's the nature of the beast, greedy and slimy like all snakes.

Don't let the shell owner dictate to you and insert a stipulation in the contract forbidding you to do a reverse split, after all he needs you more than you need him, you can go public without him but he can't get his money without you.

(3). The smooth talking consultant that can sell ice to an Eskimo in the middle of winter. He will paint a rosy picture and not warn you of possible bumps in the road to the public square.

Often the consultant may be the shell owner at the same time or at least own a piece of the pie, and is disguising his ownership with the help of a Lawyer.

The consultant should have financial industry experience, if he doesn't have a website, most likely he does not want the visibility that the website provides and is operating in a stealth manner, under the regulators radar screen.

A website provides a open forum for consultants to do business but many shy from it because they do not want the regulators to see what they are doing, many have been barred by the SEC from having any involvement with securities transactions.

I keep a website and write articles because I want the visibility they provide. In many cases if you type the name of the consultant into google you will be able to see if they have been convicted by the SEC of securities fraud in the past.

(4). Due diligence: proper due diligence can save a lot of headaches later on, examine the shell closely, why are they out of business? Or if they have any hidden problems Such as angry employees, upset investors, product litigation. Or inconsistencies in prior financial reporting which can cause serious SEC problems down the road.

(5). Short Sellers: When I was a market maker I tried not make a market on the stocks of companies that used certain consultants because between the shareholders, the stock held by the shell owner and various other group the potential for a big sell off existed., short sellers know that when that stock comes out the share price will go down so they try to get there first.

For additional information visit: www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com.

For questions email: josephquinones@genesiscorporateadvisors.com