These posts are usually started with 'What the partners of Morgan Gleave Art & Design have learnt in eleven years of running a small business' but, fortunately, these things did not take eleven years to learn...
We could easily be accused of stating the obvious but sometimes what is obvious to one person is not obvious to another.
Remember that when you attend a business networking event you are representing your company, and that your appearance and behaviour represent your company's image.
When you go to a business networking event, ensure that you DO NOT:
1) Smell bad
If you smell bad, people will back off. To effectively network, you need to interact with as many other people as possible.
You do not have to look dirty to smell.
It is no use putting on a clean, beautifully ironed shirt if you have not showered, put on clean underwear (No...turning them inside out is not good enough...) or used an antiperspirant properly.
Note the word 'properly'. When did you last read the instructions your product?
A common error is to forget to dry-clean, suits, jackets and coats regularly
Oh, and forget covering stale smells with perfumes - it does not work.
There is some excellent advice on managing body odour on the NHS Choices site.
Do not forget to keep your breath smelling sweet.
Clean your teeth properly in the morning, at night and immediately before any social event such as a business networking event. Also, have regular dentist checkups.
Again, advice on treating and preventing bad breath can be found on NHS choices.
2) Dominate conversations
You will lose people's attention if you dominate the conversation.
When you do speak, be relevant and succinctly communicate.
Remember to ask questions. You learn more by listening than talking.
3) Be unfriendly
The point of networking is to build business relationships.
You need to be approachable and to be willing to make an effort to introduce yourself to the other members of the group.
4) Fiddle with your mobile
If your mind is on your mobile, you are not interacting effectively with the other attendees.
In any event, to fiddle with your mobile in company is rude.
Switch it off. Put it away. Concentrate on the people you are with.
With very few exceptions, the mobile communication can wait until the networking event is over. That includes reading this blo...ok, bye then...
5) Dress inappropriately
What is appropriate is difficult to specify, it is easier to point out what is not appropriate.
You would be well advised not to turn up to a business networking event dressed as the people here.
(Arguably the black leather would get you and your business noticed, and we all want our business to be noticed. Perhaps one of Morgan Gleave Art & Design's partners could try it. Morgan perhaps...?)
6) Be greedy
If you are greedy with food, it is not such a leap to conclude that you are greedy in business.
Probably not true but networking is about image.
We have all seen people at events pile their plates up like Mount Vesuvius. It is not a good look.
It is easy to imagine that if a person eats a volcano...
...then they will erupt like a volcano.
Do you want to risk an 'eruption' during a business networking event?
Is this the image of your business you wish to portray? An easy way to avoid this temptation is to eat before you attend.
7) Eat like a piggy
If you eat like an animal, people will be repulsed and may conclude that you aint got no class.
Do not eat like Piggy on the right.
Remember the table manners Mummy and Daddy (or Nanny) taught you.
Oh, and eat as if The Queen is visiting, not as if you are snacking in front of the television after school.
8) Be sexist, racist or any other
‘ist you can think of
Doing this could really get you into poo.
Few people are impressed by this kind of thing.
This can be a bit of a minefield sometimes, so if in doubt, do not say it.
9) Swear
It can appear as if swearing is acceptable everywhere these days.
It is not.
In a professional situation such as business networking event, it is not generally considered acceptable to swear.
If you avoid it, you cannot go wrong.
"Did you %£$*&@£ get that?
Do not *&£$*@$ swear when you at a ?>£*%^% business networking %^&£$^£ event! It is $&^@£^* RUDE!
So keep your *^6$%*£ mouth $%@£*&$ SHUT!"
10) Put down other people, even in jest
This includes others within the group or your competitors.
By all means mention your unique selling point such as that your knitting yarn is perfumed with lavender. However, avoid anything nasty such as saying that your main competitor, the Pickled Herring Knitting Yarn Company, are rubbish because they perfume their yarns with fish'.
Again, remember what Mummy and Daddy (or Nanny) taught you, 'if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all'.
(The kitten is not relative to this article. It is just fun to include an uplifting image. After all, Morgan Gleave Art & Design is a creative company so we can be forgiven for enjoying adding images.)
You may find the following articles useful:
- 4 Step Plan to Boost Your Confidence at Business Networking Events: Step 4
Have you any items to add to this?
Have you ever made a networking event mistake you would like to share with us?
Have you seen anyone else make an error? (No names please, we want to avoid upsetting people.)
