Monday 6th December 2010 - Published by Robert Trigg - Communications Executive
Top tips for business networkers this winter
Snow and treacherous black ice on the roads have made getting out and about particularly more challenging over the past few days.
With more bad weather undoubtedly on the way, business-networking franchisers, Business for Breakfast (BforB), have made a few suggestions, based on their experiences, to help networkers get moving again.
1. Keep Warm; we all do this naturally, but as a networker gets out and about, the one accessory you should remember to wear are gloves. Nothing beats a good handshake with a warm pair of hands as you walk into the room. It makes a good first impression that you are well prepared for the session.
2. Keep up-to-date with the weather in your target area. When planning for one-to-one meetings, the best person to tell you about the temperature and forecast of the day is the people that either live there or work there. It’s not exactly unknown for the weatherman to get it wrong, so relying on the forecast is far from foolproof. Make a backup call and confirm your appointment, including a quick check of the local weather by asking the person you are having a meeting with.
3. Keeping a lighter in your pocket may be a great icebreaker for making friends with smokers, but a box of mints or a packet of Strepsils, Halls or Soothers is better this time of the year. Nothing beats a good old mint when you're out and about in Café’s and hotel lobbies accidentally bumping in to somebody struggling to clear their throat. Even if they don’t favor your brand of choice, the gesture is good enough to start up a conversation. As networkers, we generally speak to everyone, in the lift, in queues, or on buses, trains and trams. Be ready with that handy icebreaker.
WINTER NETWORKER TIPS - a pr2go story
