Networking
Networking is Essential
Jim Cunningham,
Queen City Angels
Jim Cunningham of the Queen City Angels discusses the importance of networking as soon as possible in your career.
The Art & Practice of Networking
By Janet KH Wallace
I was talking to a reporter today about networking. For those who do it well, it's easy to forget that there are others out there who panic at the thought of having to make conversation, especially with strangers ... in public. I think certainly there are those extroverts with the gift of gab who know instinctively how to spin a good yarn that attracts people and prospects easily. However, I also believe that there is an art and practice that anyone can learn that can make them exceptional at networking.
There's networking online and networking offline, and I'm a big fan of incorporating both to enrich your business and personal life.
Networking Events -
7 Good Questions to Ask
By Andy Britnell
No matter how confident you may be, the experience of entering a room full of strangers can be nerve-racking and leave you grasping for something to say. I believe the best route is actually the easiest - we all know that people like talking about themselves, so why not ask questions designed to draw them out a little more than standard shop talk?
Here are a selection I have found to be useful in establishing a connection with someone who at first glance appears to have nothing in common with me at all.
Ken Saunders,
Search Engine Experts
Ken Saunders of Search Engine Experts discusses why networking provides a foundation for success.
Plans are only intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work ...
-- Peter Drucker
Effective Business Networking: Five Tips For Mastering the Art of Networking
By Soni Pitts
The heart of any business is the connection it has with other businesses and individuals that it can call upon to help meet its needs. Networking - any activity designed to create, maintain and utilize interpersonal connections - is an essential business skill. But not all business people take the time to truly master. However, without a solid understanding of how to network effectively and efficiently, no business can make the vital connections that it needs to survive and prosper in today's super-connected economy. Here are some tips you can use to increase your networking - and business - success
Go with a goal. One of the first and most common mistakes that people make when entering a networking situation (planned or otherwise) is to fail to have a firm goal in mind. Are you looking to acquire new prospects, meet colleagues for possible collaborations, create a mutual referral partnership, create name recognition for you and your business, find funding or just "shop around" for interesting news and trends you can use? If you haven't taken the time to determine what your goals are for the encounters ahead, you will have a hard time meeting them.
