You need to have a goal for each event, be it – help 10 people with a problem, target 5 people in sales positions or speak to 10 people in the IT industry. Having a goal gives you focus, enabling you to maximise your time and start you on the road to building meaningful and useful relationships.

Gaining contacts doesn’t get you the business either. You need to have some method of follow up. For example, phoning them the next day or send

My definition of networking is

“Creating mutually beneficial relationships with like minded people with whom you can offer and receive value, knowledge and support over time”

I remember when I first established One Step Further, I went along to a network evening in central London at which various entrepreneurs and senior city executives were to speak about their businesses and what they had learnt on their paths to success.

They say that the number one fear is public speaking; death is number two and in the top five is walking into a room full of strangers. Well that evening that was firmly my number one fear. I arrived early and walked into the area where I was offered a glass of champagne and an attendee list. I scanned the list and suddenly felt that awful feeling of “what on earth am I doing here?” Senior Manager of company X, MD of Company Y, Director of ABC, I was in awe of a list of names! However, I was determined to brave it out.

As people started to arrive I smiled nervously at a few people praying that someone would take pity on me and speak to me. Fortunately they did and we had an interesting 10 minute conversation about their business. I managed to repeat that scenario 2 or 3 times that evening before being released from my fear and ushered into a room to listen to the speakers, all of which were highly entertaining and gave me inspiration for what might be achieved if you follow your passion.

That was April 2003 and all through that first year, I continued to attend similar events. I became the one introducing myself to the nervous newcomer hoping for someone to talk to.

So what changed?

I decided that if I focused on other people’s business, other people’s interests and engaged them in conversation it made for a much more enjoyable experience. Sooner or later most people do say, “So what do you do?” which comfortably let’s you talk about what you offer without it appearing a “sales pitch”

I have also found that if you are up front about why you are at these types of event and actually say what you want people respond. I spent my first 5 or 6 networking events gaining confidence speaking to different people and learning about their businesses and getting more comfortable talking about what I offer and how it might benefit them. I have also learnt that just attending an event doesn’t get you the business.

You need to have a goal for each event, be it – help 10 people with a problem, target 5 people in sales positions or speak to 10 people in the IT industry. Having a goal gives you focus, enabling you to maximise your time and start you on the road to building meaningful and useful relationships.

Gaining contacts doesn’t get you the business either. You need to have some method of follow up. For example, phoning them the next day or sendi

They say that the number one fear is public speaking; death is number two and in the top five is walking into a room full of strangers. Well that evening that was firmly my number one fear. I arrived early and walked into the area where I was offered a glass of champagne and an attendee list. I scanned the list and suddenly felt that awful feeling of “what on earth am I doing here?” Senior Manager of company X, MD of Company Y, Director of ABC, I was in awe of a list of names! However, I was determined to brave it out.

As people started to arrive I smiled nervously at a few people praying that someone would take pity on me and speak to me. Fortunately they did and we had an interesting 10 minute conversation about their business. I managed to repeat that scenario 2 or 3 times that evening before being released from my fear and ushered into a room to listen to the speakers, all of which were highly entertaining and gave me inspiration for what might be achieved if you follow your passion.

That was April 2003 and all through that first year, I continued to attend similar events. I became the one introducing myself to the nervous newcomer hoping for someone to talk to.

So what changed?

I decided that if I focused on other people’s business, other people’s interests and engaged them in conversation it made for a much more enjoyable experience. Sooner or later most people do say, “So what do you do?” which comfortably let’s you talk about what you offer without it appearing a “sales pitch”

I have also found that if you are up front about why you are at these types of event and actually say what you want people respond. I spent my first 5 or 6 networking events gaining confidence speaking to different people and learning about their businesses and getting more comfortable talking about what I offer and how it might benefit them. I have also learnt that just attending an event doesn’t get you the business.

You need to have a goal for each event, be it – help 10 people with a problem, target 5 people in sales positions or speak to 10 people in the IT industry. Having a goal gives you focus, enabling you to maximise your time and start you on the road to building meaningful and useful relationships.

Gaining contacts doesn’t get you the business either. You need to have some method of follow up. For example, phoning them the next day or send

As people started to arrive I smiled nervously at a few people praying that someone would take pity on me and speak to me. Fortunately they did and we had an interesting 10 minute conversation about their business. I managed to repeat that scenario 2 or 3 times that evening before being released from my fear and ushered into a room to listen to the speakers, all of which were highly entertaining and gave me inspiration for what might be achieved if you follow your passion.

That was April 2003 and all through that first year, I continued to attend similar events. I became the one introducing myself to the nervous newcomer hoping for someone to talk to.

So what changed?

I decided that if I focused on other people’s business, other people’s interests and engaged them in conversation it made for a much more enjoyable experience. Sooner or later most people do say, “So what do you do?” which comfortably let’s you talk about what you offer without it appearing a “sales pitch”

I have also found that if you are up front about why you are at these types of event and actually say what you want people respond. I spent my first 5 or 6 networking events gaining confidence speaking to different people and learning about their businesses and getting more comfortable talking about what I offer and how it might benefit them. I have also learnt that just attending an event doesn’t get you the business.

You need to have a goal for each event, be it – help 10 people with a problem, target 5 people in sales positions or speak to 10 people in the IT industry. Having a goal gives you focus, enabling you to maximise your time and start you on the road to building meaningful and useful relationships.

Gaining contacts doesn’t get you the business either. You need to have some method of follow up. For example, phoning them the next day or send

So what changed?

I decided that if I focused on other people’s business, other people’s interests and engaged them in conversation it made for a much more enjoyable experience. Sooner or later most people do say, “So what do you do?” which comfortably let’s you talk about what you offer without it appearing a “sales pitch”

I have also found that if you are up front about why you are at these types of event and actually say what you want people respond. I spent my first 5 or 6 networking events gaining confidence speaking to different people and learning about their businesses and getting more comfortable talking about what I offer and how it might benefit them. I have also learnt that just attending an event doesn’t get you the business.

You need to have a goal for each event, be it – help 10 people with a problem, target 5 people in sales positions or speak to 10 people in the IT industry. Having a goal gives you focus, enabling you to maximise your time and start you on the road to building meaningful and useful relationships.

Gaining contacts doesn’t get you the business either. You need to have some method of follow up. For example, phoning them the next day or send

You need to have a goal for each event, be it – help 10 people with a problem, target 5 people in sales positions or speak to 10 people in the IT industry. Having a goal gives you focus, enabling you to maximise your time and start you on the road to building meaningful and useful relationships.

Gaining contacts doesn’t get you the business either. You need to have some method of follow up. For example, phoning them the next day or sending them some material or useful information to them.

Personally I send all new people I meet an email which serves 3 purposes.

1. It brings me back into their thoughts.

2. It gives them my contact details (in case they mislay my business card!).

3. I offer them the opportunity to subscribe to Quickstart, my weekly enewsletter for business owners.

I also enter all their details into my contacts database with a note about what their business is about, what we discussed and any memorable snippets about them. This also enables me to be able to refer them onto people who might be looking for their service at some future point and to send them some valuable resources or information that I subsequently come across. This approach really works for me, as this is how I have got all of my clients to date.

I have now become much more focused about which events I go to. After all if an event is not going to have people there that may generate business or business relationships in areas that my business is focused on, it is another “time stealer”

Networking is a critical part of the “marketing pie” but without careful planning and thought it can be time consuming and unproductive. In order to avoid networking becoming another time stealer, here are my top 10 tips to maximise your time at networking events.

1. Know Your Purpose - Is the event for making new business contacts, meeting possible business partners, learning about or updating yourself on industry trends or increasing your support team. Think ahead of the event so you can prepare your answer to “so what do you do?” in the context of your purpose for that specific event and your overall business goals.

2. Prepare Yourself – dress appropriately for the event so you feel comfortable and think about how you can also stand out and be noticed and remembered. You are marketing yourself and representing your company – how do you want to be perceived? Do your business cards act as a great marketing tool? Making time before the event to really think about impact will serve you well once you “get into” the event itself.

3. Challenge Yourself – both a fun thing to do and something to stretch your skills. You could aim to speak to all the people in blue ties, all the people who are first time visitors (this is sometimes noted on the attendee list) get 20 business cards or find 5 people who will give you feedback on your latest marketing idea. This challenge sho