There's a whole lot of advice around these days on the etiquette for social networking - but the real world version is still pretty important!  As someone who 'gets about a bit' in the nicest possible way, here's my Top 5 Networking Not Tos (followed by How Tos).

 Thanks to Etch Magazine for featuring this week 

1) If you make an excuse to leave a conversation, don't lie.

If you say 'I'm just going to refill my glass' go do it! If you say 'It's been great talking with you, but I've spotted Jack who I haven't seen for ages so must say hello' then please walk straight to Jack and say hello. You'll be watched, spotted and found out as a fraud if you lie. A pretty quick way to ruin credibility.

2) Don't open a conversation with a sales pitch.

You are not there to sell. You are there to build relationships and get to know people and have them trust you because you share stories and information that is interesting and helpful. They do not want to hear your pitch - well they might, but only give it if they ask.

3) Don't ignore the signals.

If someone is pulling at their clothes, rubbing the stem of their wine glass, sighing, moving from foot to foot, chances are you've bored the pants off them so stop talking and start listening. Change the subject, invite someone else in to the conversation or wrap it up, write it off and walk away with a smile.

4) Don't be gross.

For goodness sake don't get drunk. The wine might be free but that's not an excuse to drink the bottle. Make sure you're presentable and not smelly and eat a mint before you arrive. Obvious but honestly, trying to maintain interest in someone who is talking at you with clouds of halitosis washing into your nostrils is mighty tricky. And don't gossip - you just don't know who they know (which is, after all, the whole point of going in the first place but can be your downfall if you say the wrong thing...)

5) Don't go unprepared.

Know who will be there, what they might be interested in so conversation can flow easily. Take your business cards, prepare some opening lines. Have your pitch ready in a concise and interesting format just in case you're asked to give it. Being prepared shows you are committed, being unprepared puts everyone there at the bottom of your priority list which doesn't make them feel too happy.

Tags: networking, business