It’s as much about who you know as what you know and there is so much more to networking than chatting over a coffee. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as an art.

For most Networkers, events are not just a getaway from the office and a posh lunch, they are a serious business, an avenue for sales and a way to showcase their business.

So how do you stick in somebody’s mind without being too full on and verging on annoying? You make it all about them, that’s how.

Here are some tips to help you be remembered for the right reasons.

1. Give before you receive – Take time to listen to who you meet, that way you can offer up a contact, recall an experience of yours that they are currently going through or tell a friend about their business.
2. Don’t be a Business Card collector – Pick out who can be of use to you in achieving your goals and build relationships with them.
3. Develop a clear pitch – You will only have around 30 seconds to pitch yourself to the room and people will make first impressions very quickly, so stay concise and smile.
4. Arrive early and be organised – It pays to have a separate purse for business cards and have it to hand straight away. Nobody will be impressed if they have to wait for you to find your business cards, only for you to produce one from a back pocket that’s been sat on!. Also, hover around the entrance, that way you can meet people as they arrive.
5. Remember the 80:20 rule – 80% listening and 20% talking. Always remember 0% moaning, nobody wants to listen to your problems and pet hates at a networking lunch.

Now you have the 5 Golden Rules, hit the room running and network like a boss!

Credits: www.forbes.com & www.slideshare.net