Appearance:
Appearance can be the way you dress and look as well as an appearance at an event. Along with posture it provides non verbal information about you and your business.
YOU cannot be too smart for an event. Note I said smart not fashionable.
Most networking events expect you to be smartly dressed, some say dress as you would for your business and if that is a trade have a clean polo or branded top for the meeting.
It’s best to be a smart as you can, no matter what your job function. I have seen Tillers with a clean branded top and clean pressed work trousers look 10 times smarter than an accountant with a joke tie and evidence of a previous meal on his suit.
Make an effort. You never know who will turn up, and just because you don’t dress up for work of have the take me as you find me attitude does not mean you are not making an impression.
Go back to the accountant for a second. He would have to offer me some pretty smart advice and prove himself to have integrity before I would see past the stain on the suit.
When I was growing up, my farther always made me polish my shoes. Why? His rational was that people who take care in their appearance including having shiny shoes, take care of a lot more and therefore are worth talking to.
Back to the tiller: He had it down to a fine art and would have a suitor in his van so he had clean clothes to change into. This he found especially useful when going on to a prospect to talk about work. Here was a tradesman who looked well presented. He got more work than a lot of his competition.
Unlike some sports and celebrities you don’t get Appearance Money for attending a Networking event, unless you are the star attraction. Appearance should be seen in the same light as Always and Regular.
There are some organisations, where people travel thousands of miles to attend their local networking meeting. More of those in the lest of networking opportunities
Attitude:
Always be positive and have an open caring attitude towards you fellow networkers. If you come across as someone who is only in it for what you can get. Others will see through that and you will fail in your networking activities.
A willingness to help others is a vital cog in your networking activity. It will open doors for you and get you into places you did not believe possible. But it all starts with the right approach.
Check back for more A - Z of Networking
Helping Real People do Real Business Through Real Networking
©Paul Johnstone
Please feel free to comment on this or any of my earlier Blogs. All feedback is great
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