How do you make social functions become genuine networking events that work for you?   It begins by knowing why you are there in the first place:  You’re not just after these people’s business; you’re also after the business of each of their 250-person spheres of influence.  There are seven steps to accomplish that goal:

1. Adjust your attitude.  By this I mean understand that the only reason you are at this particular function is to work:  to build your inventory of quality prospects for your names list.  That you’re there to work does not mean it can’t be fun.  Networking is fun.  Establishing mutually beneficial, give-and-take, win-win relationships with people is fun.  Making more money is fun.  But we are here at this card exchange, networking function, or whatever we want to term it, to work.
   
   
2. Work the crowd.  By this I mean, be a “sincere politician” – be sincere but with an air of confidence about you.  Be open, but don’t come off like a sharp hustler.  Be nice.  Have a smile on your face.  Very simple, right?  Okay.  That’s a start.
   
   
3. Introduce yourself to someone new.  If possible, introduce yourself to someone who is what’s known as a Center of Influence.  These are people who have a very large and important sphere of influence themselves.  Typically, Centers of Influence have been in the community for a long time.  People are familiar with them and what’s more, they know them, like them and trust them.  Centers of Influence may or may not be particularly successful in business  - though they usually are – but regardless, they know a lot of other people who you want to know.  And they have the ability to connect you with those people.
   
   
4. Talk about the other person.  After your introduction, invest 99.9 percent of the conversation asking the other person questions about herself and about her business.  Do not talk about yourself and your business. 
   
   
5. Ask for your new contact’s business card.  If she asks for yours, by all means give it to her, but the key is to get her business care (more on this later).
   
   
6. Go back and use her name.  Later on, pop back by and call you new networking prospect by name.
   
   
7. If you have the opportunity, introduce people you have met to others.  Ideally, the best introductions to make are those between people who can be of mutual benefit to one another.

Point number 4 mentions talking about the other person.  Here are 10 questions that can help you keep the conversation going in their direction:

1. How did you get your start in the widget business?
2. What do you enjoy the most about your profession?
3. What separates you and your company from the competition?
4. What advice would you give someone just starting in the widget business?
5. What is the one thing you would do with your business if you knew you could not fail? 
6. What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession through the years?
7. What do you see as the coming trends the in the widget business?
8. Describe the strangest or funniest incident you’ve experienced in your business.
9. What ways have you found to be the most effective for promoting your business?
10. What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do business?

The one KEY questions that separates the Pros from the Amateurs:

How can I know if someone I’m speaking to is a good prospect for you?

Why did we ask for a business card – follow-up.  Send each new contact a personalized thank you note.  This should be a hand-written note with a simple message:

Thank you.  It was a pleasure meeting you.  If I can ever refer business your way, I certainly will.   Sign your name. 

Resist the temptation to promote yourself or your business.  Remember the law of compensation which states: