13. Remember constantly “givers gain”. The more you give the more you will get back in return. Create an “abundance” reputation rather than a “scarcity” reputation.
14. Be first to offer your hand and shake hands firmly. A limp handshake tells you a lot about the person.
15. Contact with the eyes is the most powerful form of body language. Not looking someone in the eye on that first meeting creates the wrong impression from the start.
16. Make the first move. Greet everyone with a smile and a friendly hello. Approach people standing alone. This will be less daunting and they will welcome a friendly face.
17. Talk in terms of other peoples’ interests. Find out as much as possible about them, it is the easiest way, as people love to talk about themselves.
18. Listen attentively first. People will tell you lots of useful information that can be used to your advantage. This also establishes a rapport. Talk about yourself second.
19. Stay within limits if there is a free bar. Drunk and disorderly behaviour can rarely be good for business!
20. Spend some time with people you do know. Ignoring people is impolite and they may be able to introduce you to someone new.
21. Ask to be introduced by someone you know to someone you don’t know.
22. Ask open ended questions to get the other person talking. Ask questions that begin with Why? How? When? Which? What?
23. Ask others to repeat their name if you did not hear it first time. Everyone likes to be called by his or her name – it shows you are interested.
…Combined with my previous blog post, you now have the first 23 golden rules. Next Tuesday and Thursday I will post the final 22 golden rules, building up to our ‘Work the Room’ web seminar on Monday 14th March. If you want to be able to approach any kind of group with the confidence, enrol on our web seminar and check back on the Kintish Networking blog for the latest hints and tips when working the room.
Alternatively, visit www.kintish.co.uk and www.linkedintraining.co.uk for further free and valuable information on all aspects of networking.
