At a recent presentation, we were asked, “You say that talking about personal topics while networking is good, but if I’m at a business event, isn’t that inappropriate? Won’t the other person be offended?” Read more (members only)

At a recent networking event, we noticed someone working the room by passing out business cards faster than a poker dealer in Vegas. Later, someone told us, “I don’t know who that person was but they gave me their card and I’m going to throw it away.” Read more (members only)

“I don’t have time to market.” It’s a common complaint from self-employed professionals. When you are the only one who can serve the clients, manage the business, and perform all the sales and marketing functions, time becomes the most precious commodity you have. Read more (members only)

Has this ever happened to you? You’re at a networking event with the intention of meeting new people, yet you find yourself stuck in one conversation with no end in sight, and you don’t know what to do. Read more (members only)

How many times already today has someone tried to sell you something? The ads come in by email, postal mail, fax, radio, magazines, newspapers, TV, and your web browser; the salespeople write you, call you, and approach you in the store or showroom. Read more (members only)

Do you find yourself frequently referring business to other professionals? When these referrals are likely to be reciprocal, you’ll probably want to give them freely. But what about those situations where you refer clients to someone who isn’t able to return the favor? Read more (members only)

When was the last time you received a referral, a good referral, from someone in your network? If you answered “never” or “not recently,” it could be that the people in your network don’t know the “who” of what you do. To help people refer business to you, they need to know not just what Read more (members only)

When you think of networking what comes to mind? Going to mixers? Attending business meetings? Meeting new people? Collecting business cards? Eating and drinking? Seeing friends? All of the above? Read more (members only)

If you’ve been networking for a while, you most likely have a long list of people you want to connect with on a regular basis. There’s the initial follow-up you do after you first meet someone, but what are you doing to ensure that people will remember you months or even years from now Read more (members only)

Once you’ve decided on a networking event to attend, what can you do to prepare for a positive and productive networking experience? Here are seven pre-event planning steps to help you feel more confident when you enter the room. Read more (members only)