Business Networking for Dummies

Grow your business, build your career, find more customers, and build a valuable support network of likeminded business people.

Networking is a crucial skill for all professionals and business owners. Quite simply, it’s a fast and effective way to build your business or career - and excellent networking skills will set you apart from the competition. Business Networking For Dummies shows you how to get the most out of networking - both online and offline.

With Business Networking For Dummies, you’ll learn to:

• Use business networking to grow and develop your business
• Find the right platform or platforms to build your own network and ‘assemble your crowd’
• Pitch yourself and your business with confidence
• Get the most out of face-to-face networking events - including valuable tips on presentation skills and sound bites!
• Join up your ‘real life’ and online networking
• Measure your networking success
• Follow up with new contacts successfully

“This is a cornerstone book for anyone involved in running a smaller business and wishing to deploy networking as an enquiry source. It is clear, concise and provides a complete education for succeeding in, what is for some, a difficult environment."
Ben Kench, Leading UK sales trainer and business growth specialist

"I’ve read this entire book from start to finish and so should you because, when you know what you’re doing, business networking does work, and by following the blueprint that Stef has set down for you: first you’ll learn, then you’ll earn.”
Brad Burton, Managing Director, 4Networking Ltd.

Stefan Thomas is Network Director for 4Networking and a marketing and networking expert. He spends his days roving the 4N network and helping members get the best from 4Networking.

Foreword xv

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting Started with Business Networking 5

Chapter 1: Getting to Grips with Networking Basics 7

Chapter 2: Exploring Dif ferent Aspects of Networking  23

Chapter 3: Setting (Realistic) Expectations 39

Chapter 4: Making Use of Networking Organisations 47

Chapter 5: Networking at Trade Shows 65

Part II: Face-to-face Networking 73

Chapter 6: Attending Networking Meetings 75

Chapter 7: Making Connections in Open Networking 91

Chapter 8: Nailing the Introductions Round 103

Chapter 9: Handling One-to-Ones 127

Chapter 10: Breezing Through the Ten-Minute Speaker Slot 137

Chapter 11: Following Up 155

Part III: Networking Online and Using Social Media 171

Chapter 12: Networking Online 173

Chapter 13: Using Social Media to Keep Relationships Alive 183

Chapter 14: Networking Using Different Social Media Platforms 203

Chapter 15: Joining Up Your Online and Offline Networking 215

Part IV: Turbo-charging Your Networking 225

Chapter 16: Using Networking to Build Your Business 227

Chapter 17: Building Networking into Your Business Strategy 241

Part V: Measuring Your Success 249

Chapter 18: Networking or Notworking? 251

Chapter 19: Revisiting Your Approach 259

Part VI: The Part of Tens 271

Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Improve Your Networking Results 273

Chapter 21: Ten Networking Gaffes to Avoid 279

Index 285

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.