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July is a time when
many of us go on vacation to recharge our batteries and get ready to take on the
second half of the year. Once we get going again is a good time to be reminded
of some basic elements of powerful (and not so powerful) networking.
Many of you have been
kind enough to ask me questions about getting better results when you network.
If you’ve been reading this newsletter you’ve read about selling vs.
networking, getting rid of ‘nice to meet you,’ conversation starters vs.
conversation killers, determining your best prospects, and more (links to all
past Impact Tips).
In order for business
networking to have an impact on our businesses, we need to make sure of a few
things.
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Be Prepared
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Do
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Don’t
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Arrive
on time or early
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Be
late
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Take
out your gum
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Bring
any personal problems with you
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Bring
a pen and paper/pda
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Be
without something to write with and on
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Bring
lots of business cards
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Arrive
without business cards
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Plan
your 30-second commercial before the meeting
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Be
Professional
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Do
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Don’t
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Dress
to impress
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Don’t
wear jeans
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Wear
your nametag on the right side
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Have
a strong handshake
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Be
limp or indecisive when you shake hands
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Ask
for a card before offering yours
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Hand
out cards without engaging in conversation
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Be Attentive
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Do
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Don’t
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Listen
to everyone’s commercial
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Wear
your blue tooth
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Value
someone’s business card and take appropriate notes
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Stuff
the cards you receive in your pocket without looking at them
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Be Powerful
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Do
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Don’t
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Make
eye contact
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Don’t
be distracted
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SMILE!
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Don’t
say, “Nice to Meet You.”
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Enjoy
Yourself!
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If you’ll follow
these basic guidelines, you’ll find your results will grow.
This tip is just one
part of the 6-week telephone class Networking Your Way to Success.
You
can click here for more details about the class.
Now get out there, get back to basics, and
Happy Networking,
Jeff | 
