Andy Lopata, Guest Author –
Many networking experts – including Larry James – recommend that you “act the host” at an event as a great way of meeting lots of people, encouraging others to feel at ease and feeling confident.
This is essential if it’s your event but also useful if you attend something regularly. Done properly, the impact you make on other people can be very powerful.
Last week I attended an event hosted by Women in Banking and Finance (WiBF) for their speakers, committee and sponsors. I had the pleasure of speaking for WiBF late last year at Citi and welcomed the early opportunity to carry on building some of the relationships I had made that evening and previously.
Sylvana Caloni is the President of WiBF and was hosting the event last Wednesday. Not content with just meeting and greeting everyone, Sylvana was a hive of activity. She knew everyone present and who they should be meeting and she was continually making introductions.
I benefited personally from about five very strong introductions made by Sylvana. Not only did she introduce me to people, she explained to both parties who the other person was and why we should be talking to each other. The ice was broken and constructive conversations were the outcome each time.
If I wanted to meet someone in particular, Sylvana made it happen.
When you have the opportunity to introduce people at an event, whether you are the host or not, take a leaf from Sylvana’s book and grab it. People are always grateful to the introducer when a new connection turns out to be a positive one, so look for the chance to make those introductions.
BONUS Article: At a Networking Event, BE the Host!
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Copyright © 2012 – Andy Lopata. Reprinted with permission. Labeled “Mr Network” by The Sun, Andy Lopata was called “one of Europe’s leading business networking strategists” by the Financial Times. The co-author of two books on networking, Andy is a featured columnist the US magazine “The National Networker,” as well as being regularly quoted in the national press. Previously, Andy was Managing Director of UK network Business Referral Exchange. Andy has since worked with companies from one-man bands to organisations such as NatWest Bank, Merrill Lynch and Mastercard to help them realise the full potential from their networking. He is a former vice-president of the Professional Speakers Association. Visit Andy’s Website and BLOG.
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Evaluate which business networking groups were worthwhile and which were not. Networking is an important way to make new connections with prospective clients, customers, partners, and team members directly, so it should be planned and reviewed carefully. Take out your calendar and flip through the pages. Mark those events as “A” where you met the people you wanted to meet, “B” where you know there is the potential to meet those you wish, and “C” where you won’t return for one reason or another. Share this info with your team and ask them to do the same so you can compare notes. One person’s “B” might be another person’s “A,” so you can learn a lot from sharing this process. ~ 
What about you? Are you referring business to them, providing them with information that can help them, brainstorming business building ideas, and more? What are you doing to help your referral partners? Be sure you are doing your part before you decide to leave a group. Make sure that the message you give every week during your 
Larry: Bob, why didn’t you give me a call. I would have been happy to give you a ride.
The friends we make with the relationships we develop while networking are part of our support system. They need for us to tell them that if they ever need “anything” – a ride to work, a great restaurant referral, business advice, just need someone to talk to… whatever! – that they should call. If you are too busy to talk at the moment you can promise them you will return the call. Or, if you can’t help them, do your best to refer them to someone who can.
Remember, in networking you are usually only a few people away from someone who can help you with whatever you need.
I prefer to believe that both can be winners. There is plenty of business to go around. It takes a bold step forward. I no longer fear the competition, I embrace it. Some say that competition brings out your greatest potential. However, when it comes to business, I no longer believe that. In sports, perhaps. The gift of collaboration yields more than the gift of competition. For it to work collaboration must be reciprocal.
Collaborative, n.
“When you fail to hit the target… it is never the targets fault!” – 
If you are someone who in the past has attended every major networking event and all the networking functions you had time for and seem to be no further ahead… then you must take time to reflect upon your successes, failures and lessons learned from last year, make some significant changes and start over. Reevaluate “how” you network. Revise your 
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“Go without any expectations and enjoy yourself. The secret to the whole process is your attitude.” ~ Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors
One more thing… never not pass a referral just because the person isn’t in your networking group. Just keep doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, without expectations. Unfulfilled expectations always cause problems.
Networking is about mixing, mingling and meeting new people. Most of us are not born minglers. Practice and preparation will help you develop the skills it takes to be an effective networker. You must get out of your comfort zone and work the room. Be brave. You can’t be shy while networking and expect results. Make it a choice to have fun as you reach out to new contacts to introduce yourself and build some new relationships.
Everyone can use help. There are many challenges that we all face as we work to build a successful business. When having a conversation with someone from your networking group, ask open-ended questions instead of questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.” A great question is, “Who is your ideal customer and how will I know if someone fits the bill?” This will help to get to the things you can help them with quicker and keeps the conversation flowing. It also demonstrates a genuine interest in them. 
“A referral chain is created by simply asking someone you know to introduce you to someone else for a specific purpose, then repeating the process over time. When it happens naturally, it’s serendipity. By cultivating more of these relationships, you can skyrocket your business growth.” – 
Referral chains are comprised of individuals who have banded together to help each other by building on each others experience and reputations. When someone offers you a referral or resource, obviously your first step is to say, “Thank you.” Recognizing and reinforcing their positive behavior among your friends encourages them to repeat that behavior. Call the person who referred you and tell them how their positive behavior is helping the people they introduced to you. It takes a little time to do this, but it is well worth it.
Copyright © 2011. Seth Godin. Seth Godin has written thirteen books that have been translated into more than thirty languages. Every one has been a bestseller. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything. Seth is the founder of 
