10 Powerful Business Networking Tips

In the quest to learn great business networking skills, I attended a short talk on "Business Networking Primer" by my friend Roger Loh, a certified business networker.

I have been running my own business for over 10 years but only started actively networking last year.

At first, my purpose for networking is to improve my videography business.

Today, I network because I discovered there is more than just growing my business. In fact, a flood of other opportunities reveal themselves which I never knew existed.

Anyway here are 10 Powerful Business Networking tips I picked up from the Roger Loh's talk.

1. Attend business networking events regularly to build credibility and trust.
2. Be genuinely interested in the other party. Find out how you can help them.
3. Be generous, helpful, well-groomed and have positive energy. Practise humour.
4. Speak with a confident posture, smile, maintain eye-contact and listen actively.
5. Do not sell your wares in business networking events. Build relationships first.
6. Always follow up after meeting. Networking is not an event, it is a process.
7. Good places to network with like-minded people are in seminars and workshops.
8. For wider exposure with international links, join Business Network International (BNI).
9. Read the book How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
10. Most importantly, add value, have a "giving" mentality. BNI slogan: "Givers Gain".

There is more of course. I will be attending the complete 2-day workshop on Business Networking to hone my techniques. This is a valuable life-time skill that they never taught me in school.

Adrian Lee

http://VideoLane.com