Introductions

THE NAME: How do you remember names? First LISTEN to the name, LINGER over the name, ask a question about the name. Also give them a way to remember your name. (Kathy with a "K," Michelle, like the Beatles' song, Bostick, like the ex-Redskins center.)

WHAT DO YOU DO? Avoid your job title, avoid industry labels (sales, real estate). Instead tell your talent, not your title. Plan ahead and be prepared to tell in two sentences about one of your talents and a recent example of a project/success/completion.

AGENDAS: Be prepared to be spontaneous. Plan ahead to answer the question "How are you?" and "What's new?" Tell about a resource you've found, a client you've helped, a new interest and be ready to ask about the things you want to learn or find out about. When someone says: "What's new?" have your agenday handy.

Be Active in 5 Different Arenas

1. Family - do your brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles really know what business to send your way?
   
2. Professional associations with peers
   
3. A group of potential customers like the Chamber of Commerce.(MATCH!)
4. A health club or choir you sing in.
   
5. Volunteer group or your kids soccer team or your alumni association.

But now that you have joined, it's not enough. You must get visible to make it worth your money. Contribute your skills, volunteer to be a greeter, make an announcement, write a newsletter article, join a committee or the Board of Directors. Be visible, make yourself known - GIVE!

Reconnect

Reconnect with people again at the same event: bring someone over to introduce to them - look for connections - look for common interests of different people so you can be a great connector (you both work in the same field, you both have twins, you both grew up in Alexandria, etc.). Do say good-bye to the two or three people you would most like to get to know - "Great talking to you," "I loved hearing about your new project" or confirm when you will call.

Follow-up

Stay in touch with everyone you meet: your neighbor, a business contact - you never know where the next lead will come from.

People refer people who they like and trust. It often takes 6 to 8 converstation before people are comfortable with you to refer someone your way.

These are things you have to give and, of course, there are things you also want to get. Do the giving, and the getting will take care of itself.

Condensed from a talk by MATCH President, Rebecca Bostick, Architect, given to MATCH, VA in November. She passed on these hits and others she picked up at "Networking Around the Beltway '96" and from the book "Great Connetions, Small Talk and Networking for Business" by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon.