Networking ABCs ... As Easy As 1,2,3

No matter what you do for a living, as a business owner or professional you can benefit from networking and getting to know other business professionals. But to do so effectively, there are some ABCs to remember:

Ask around – Talk to other business owners in your area to find out what groups they belong to and recommend and then consider joining one or more to expand your network. Because networking is all about connecting with other people, you have to be willing to reach out and identify the events and situations that best allow you to do that.

Be prepared – When attending a networking event, make sure you have plenty of business cards to hand out. While you should avoid running around the room pushing your promotional materials on others, you also don't want to run out of business cards if someone asks you for one. And, if you ask for or receive a business card from someone else, have a pen handy to jot down a few notes for yourself for later follow up.

Communicate effectively – At many networking events, the actual “networking” time is limited, so to make better connections more quickly and ask others about what they do first. Letting the other person tell you who they are gives you time to identify common ground for a more fruitful conversation. In addition, make sure you’ve prepared your own short “elevator speech” about who you are and what you do since many networking events give people opportunity to give a short “commercial” about themselves and their business.

Don't limit yourself – Networking groups are the perfect place to connect and share with other business professionals and entrepreneurs, but don’t just stick to the same types of events every month. Instead, look at other business groups and community events to expand your network. When you're in business for yourself, it’s important to maximize your time by honing in on the right kinds of groups.

As you continue building your business, invest your time, energy and money into events that allow you to nurture relationships and collaborate with like-minded, dynamic individuals that are in your target market.