Making the most of your membership

1. Ensure senior decision-makers only represent your company at the Business Network Events. People who can look for opportunities that will enhance their business; enhance their customers businesses and who can put people together.

2. Ensure you come with a buying as well as selling attitude. Who is there in the room who is in a position to help my company or people that I do business with.

3. Bring plenty of business cards - at least 20.

4. Prepare your three minute presentation.

5. Be there at 11.45am. Seek out people you don’t know. Listen to them. See how they can help your company and how you can help their business. Remember that everyone you meet is not only a business owner but also a consumer and they know people that may well be interested in what you can offer.

6. Smile at the table. Shake hands with everybody. Remember their first names.

7. Listen intently during each 3 minute presentation. Ask yourself during it:

Can this person help my company?
Can I help this company?
Do I know anybody that could use this company?
How am I going to build their presentation into mine? How can I refer to it?
If I have spoken already, what can I say by way of a question when they have finished, or at the end of the presentation session?

8. During the event glance at the full list of attendees and see if there is anybody else you wish to meet on other tables.

9. On the way home or back at the office get out and review the business cards from around the table, and ask yourself:

Who shall I write to and say how good it was to meet them and enclose a brochure? Why not all?
Who shall I ring and make an appointment to see?
Who am I going to tell in my organisation about somebody I met today that could help him or her?
Who else of my contacts could benefit from an introduction to one of the people I met today?

10. Later, and always, keep in mind the members of The Business Network. Keep handy the list of member companies and what they do (if you have not got a complete list ask for one or use the website), and always be on the lookout for any way in which you can pass on leads.

Getting the most from Business Network events - Downloadable here