Networking

(Editor's note - this article first appeared in the Cleveland Society of HR Management newsletter and is rerun with permission) So you received an email from an old friend you haven’t talked to in ages inviting you to join his network on LinkedIn. Worse yet, this is the fifth...

Implement these 2 simple strategies and watch the referrals pour in. These are the two things you should know about networking: 1. "Practice makes perfect" is not enough. Practice alone is not enough. It must be "effective" practice. In martial arts, the...

(Editor's note - this article appeared on Businessweek.com June 2007. While the content focuses on business pitches, the concepts relate well to 30-second commercials and elevator speeches.) At a contest to teach budding entrepreneurs how to sell their business ideas in a minute,...

Borrowing loosely from an old Sicilian proverb, 'A dumb guy can learn from his or her own mistakes. A smart guy learns from the mistakes of other people. But a wise guy learns from the successes of others.' So, here is a collection of Networking Best Practices shared by networking...

You've just returned from networking at a COSE event. You met some people that could potentially help you accomplish your networking objectives and have several business cards. Good for you. Now what? Effective follow up will reinforce the positive first impression you made on those...

The goal of your first brief interaction with a stranger is to begin to answer the question "Is this person someone I want to get to know better; someone who can help me ... or who I can help?" To do that, you need information. 1. Tell less and ask more. Ask good...

So you’ve decided to attend an upcoming COSE event to do some networking. Good for you ... but you'll need to work the room like a pro - with focus, style and finesse. Here are 10 simple Best Practices to increase your skills and confiden ce ... and results. #1. Know...

(Editor's Note - this article by Colleen A. Rickenbacher is reprinted here with permission.) Michael looked forward to attending his first industry conference. He was entering his third year in the accounting field, and wanted to meet the right people and stay on top of industry...

You can begin making the very best first impression you can on the strangers you meet with a winning smile and good eye contact. Then, continue that positive image with a comfortable handshake. * As you introduce yourself, shake hands briefly and energetically. Firm but painless is the key....

Grandma was right. You do only get one chance to make a good first impression. When you're networking, one goal should always be to make the very best first impression you can on the strangers you meet. "Uncommon courtesy" is a key strategy throughout all your networking...

Networking With A Strategic Plan By Phil Stella, Effective Training & Communication, Inc. With most businesses, failing to plan is planning to fail. It’s the same simple paradigm for networking like a pro instead of an amateur. And it all starts with the reason(s) why...

Networking Without Blinders By Phil Stella, Effective Training & Communication, Inc. Many COSE members recognize the power of effective networking as a key business strategy. But, if you fall into the trap of networking out of habit, driven by some outdated mindsets, you...

By Phil Stella, Effective Training & Communication, Inc. I used to refer to this concept as networking with "common courtesy". But, just like "common sense", these practices are anything but commonplace in business today. One of the fastest and...

By Phil Stella, Effective Training & Communication, Inc. Elevator Speeches ... 30 Second Commercials ... Shameless Self-Promotions, they’re our typical response to the often asked ‘What do you do?’. We all do them. But, most of us don’t do...