Relationships are essential for both personal and professional growth. If you find yourself traveling for business, take advantage of the opportunity you have to network and connect with other professionals. You never know who you’ll meet along the way, perhaps a potential client, business partner or hiring manager.
Promote Your Attendance
Use social networking websites to share about the upcoming event you’re attending, and its location. Plenty of online groups provide platforms for networking with individuals attending the same event, in the same work field or in the same city as you. Additionally, your existing contacts may be able to refer business acquaintances attending the event or residing in the event’s host city who are willing to meet.
Exchange Contact Information
After engaging in a meaningful conversation with someone you meet, don’t forget to exchange your contact information so you can keep in touch with them when you return home. It’s a good idea to bring business cards for a quick and easy exchange!
Research the Event You’re Attending
It’s important that you know exactly what you’re getting into before you arrive at your business trade show or conference. Study each day’s itinerary and attendees to set intentional networking objectives before you even arrive at the event.
Be Approachable
If you want to give people the impression that you’re willing to start a conversation, you need to be approachable. This means you need to be ready to engage with someone at any given moment. Show interest in the subject matter, and others around you. Remember to smile and maintain a calm and pleasant composure that invites people to come up to you.
Use Every Opportunity to Network
In order to be successful at networking, you need to be intentional. Use every opportunity possible to network with those around you, whether that means getting dinner with a potential client, striking up a conversation in the coffee line or spending your break session with the neighboring table’s corporate team.
