We are delighted to share these  “𝟭𝟮 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴! Offered to educate and inspire us all to ensure we get the most from our networking!  Thanks to Latha Karthigaa from Brandupwise Ltd

One of the aspects that I love about being in business is NETWORKING- MEETING NEW PEOPLE… So many different people, different businesses, different value propositions, different values, different business models, different strategies, different work cultures, different aspirations, and so on.

In the last few months, I have met over 100 people with various backgrounds, and I have come up with some tips to make the networking effort effective!

1) Always arrive 30 mins before the scheduled time at the event venue

2) The easiest person to talk to is the person who is alone. Approach him/her, and start the conversation

3) Always join a group that is open. See if you have a space available to stand even if there are only two people in a group.

4) After joining a group, introduce yourself by your name and request them to continue the current conversation, so they don’t feel disturbed

5) Exit the group politely. Never exit a group without knowing everyone in the group.

6) Actively listen. Use the mirroring technique if required.

7) Always have a small and clear introduction about you and your business prepared to deliver when required. A 5-7 second pitch is perfect to start off.

8) Always carry business cards, and share them with people in the networking meetings

9) When you are in a group and when a person enters your group, welcome her/him by greeting the person and asking his/her name.

10) Every conversation is important. So keep up the enthusiasm. Good food and sufficient water are to be consumed 2-3 hours before the event to stay energetic. Trust me. This may look like a simple tip, but it helps a lot, especially in long networking events

11) Once you are back home, take time to make notes of all the people you met, as there are more chances to forget within 24 hours

12) Within 24 hours, email them, or text them to arrange a 1-on-1 meeting with them.

Networking is an art. It is powerful. I am sure these tips are helpful. Let me know if you’d like to know more about how to network better. I will add more information in the future.

Thanks to Rawinia Matthews, Nelson Madoka, Ron Lal, Melanie Budden, Natalie Oborne and so many kind-hearted souls, who inspire me to network better.”

About Latha:

I’m a 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 and a 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁, and I’ve completed PhD from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. My PhD in Software Engineering helped to understand the constantly-changing algorithms behind the social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram) and search engines (Google, Bing, etc.), which we use to transform into some of the greatest strategies and processes to provide the best support for our B2B clients.

We are a team of marketing professionals based in Auckland, New Zealand. We have helped over 150+ B2B professional service businesses in 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗭𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮, and the 𝗨𝗞 to develop sustainable growth strategies in the first 12 months.

Our mission is to help businesses understand the power of social media and search engines, and to use them to grow their businesses SUSTAINABLY.

Want to connect & network with like-minded business owners?
Visit The Networking Group website & register : www.tng.org.nz/groups