The Do’s and Don’ts of Business Networking

The Dos and Don'ts of BUSINESS NETWORKING DOS DON'TS DO APPROACH PEOPLE AT EVENTS DON'T BE PUSHY Try to approach people who are on their own. Many people attend business networking events by themselves with the intention of meeting others. It can damage your reputation and do more harm than good if you become overly persistent trying to forge a connection. If you're trying to get into someone's network, don't be overly aggressive. Be patient and professional at all times. You can guarantee you won't be interrupting anyone if they're stood alone, so politely strike up conversation and see where it takes you. DO WAIT TO BE ASKED FOR YOUR BUSINESS CARD DON'T BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY ONLINE Vour business card should carry a certain value, so don't go around handing them out to everyone you meet. We may all act differently on our Twitter accounts than in real life, but when networking this is a big no-go. When you're conversing with a potential contact, wait for them to ask you for a card before handing it over. Interact with people in the same uway you would in person. This means you can ask about their lives, as well as work. In some parts of the world, including Africa and India, you must use your right hand to give and receive a card. DO ADD CONTACTS ON LINKEDIN FOR A REASON DON'T GO TO EVENTS UNPREPARED Don't just blanket connect with everyone you find on Linkedln. Make sure you're only adding relevant people. When attending an event you should have some idea of the other attendees and questions you'd like to ask them. Try to add a bespoke, personal message to your new connection to introduce yourself. Don't find yourself caught short without enough business cards, information about your business or any other materials that could be beneficial. DO BE CAREFUL WITH SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT DON'T NEGLECT CONTACTS If you've chosen to connect with a new contact on Twitter, Linkedln or Facebook, be sure you've not posted anything you don't want them to see. Once you've successfully made contacts, it's important to keep nurturing them. Keep in touch, maintain visibility on social media platforms and be on the look out for mutually beneficial opportunities. Remain professional at all times, avoid badmouthing your employer, keep away from strongly political or potentially offensive content. Anything you wouldn't say or do in work should be kept to personal accounts. 56 It 125K ון