If you are like most people, you probably feel a bit uncomfortable walking into a room full of strangers. However, this experience can help you boost your business and allow you to do some market research as well.  Learning how to behave at networking events and to keep in touch with the contacts you make is vital when you are a small business owner or entrepreneur.

Here are some top techniques encouraged by very successful business consulting firms to ensure you relate effectively at any networking event:

Before the Event

• Do some research – find out about the dress code so that you fit adequately among those in the group.
• Get more than enough business cards, a pen, and a notebook.  For example, take 30 business cards and make a commitment not to leave until you have handed them all out.
• Eat before the event; if it is a cocktail party, get a drink but avoid having both hands busy with finger foods that can make it difficult for you to deliver business cards or write down important data.
• Make a list of your goals for the event.  Why are you attending this specific event?  Do you want to meet people? Find potential customers? Find resources? Work on the relationships you have already made?
• Plan to ask for business cards only from people you really want to keep in touch with.

During the Event

• Get there early, when the group is small and controllable.
• Always wear a smile on your face, even if you feel nervous. It will make you feel better, and in this way, people will feel comfortable enough to approach you because you will appear enthusiastic, open, and friendly.
• Mingle, do not stand in a corner all by yourself or just talk to the people you know.  Move from person to person, and do not spend more than 5 minutes talking to someone.
• Ask the host to introduce you to key people or to help you approach a group where you don’t know anyone.
• Ask the greeting committee to help you with the introductions, and approach people who are alone to introduce them to others.  You can even offer to be part of the greeting committee in order to have an excuse to talk to everyone.
• When meeting someone, shake hands and repeat their name, it will help you remember it and will show that you are making an effort to get it right.
• Wear a nametag for easy identification.
• Describe yourself and your business in 30 seconds or less (practice your elevator pitch!).
• Listen more and talk less.  People feel flattered when someone listens to them and shows sincere interest in others.
• Ask questions that prompt answers that help you understand the person.
• Take notes so that you can remember every bit of important information about someone (but be sure you are still interacting with them – don’t just write the whole time).

After the Event

• Organize all the information you got and write it down on your contact file.
• Follow up on the owners of the business cards you collected within the next 24 hours.
• If you discovered a worthy contact, invite them to lunch or coffee to learn more about them.

Networking events are meant to be a valuable and profitable experience, not a drag.  They are great opportunities to meet interesting people, do market research, and get new clients.  When you have a plan, you can really make them work for you.

Do you have other great tips that have helped you network successfully? We want to hear about them! Please leave comments with your thoughts and suggestions.