Do any of the following happen to you when you meet a new person for the first time: your palms start to sweat, you can’t think of anything to say, you become self-conscious about everything you say or do, you stutter when you try to speak, you just want to curl up in a ball and hide?

If you’re in a career which requires business networking or you simply want to meet new people, one factor which might hinder your success in this arena is a problem with shyness.

Luckily, being shy doesn’t mean you’re stuck with an incurable disease. Instead, there are ways to conquer your inhibitions and learn to come out of your socially-shy shell. We’ve discovered four key ways to help with the battle.

1. Stop thinking about yourself and focus on other people
If you start feeling self-conscious about yourself or analyzing how you appear when you meet a new person, try and focus your attention on your new associates instead. Who are they and what are they saying to you? What are the things you like about them? What would you like to know more about them? By switching your attention to other people, you’ll help yourself forget your shyness and make yourself a more attentive person to talk to at the same time.

2. Get your mind working positively
Try these techniques to help reprogram the way you feel about yourself. Firstly visualize – imagine yourself in networking scenarios where you act calm, confident and naturally yourself. Secondly, destroy negative words or statements in your head, e.g., ‘I have nothing useful to say’. Instead, repeat positive words and statements to yourself, e.g, ‘I have valuable things to contribute’. By reinforcing positive thoughts and images about yourself in your mind, you’ll help override the negative ones.

3. Accept Rejection
Not everyone you meet will instantly like you – the same way that you may not like every person you meet. Learn to accept this fact of life and not to take it personally if someone doesn’t show the same interest in you. Instead, use the opportunity to help you become more confident because you are able to move on.

4. Learn to like yourself
If you can sit and think about the things you like the most about yourself, you’re sure to discover a dozen or so reasons why other people should like you too. Focus on your strengths and you’ll soon forget your weaknesses. Not a good talker? Well maybe you’re a more sensitive listener. Not good at making jokes? Perhaps you’re great at sharing anecdotes. Aim to be yourself – the self that you like – and you’ll have nothing to be shy about.

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If you’d like to meet a group of people who share the same hobby as you, you might want to start a local hobby group yourself. Sounds like a great deal of work? It doesn’t have to be! Read our guide to starting a hobby group using these easy-to-do steps.

Advertise
Go onto the web and scout for sites related to your hobby – preferably those which are locally-based. See if any of these sites have message forums where you can generate interest in your group by posting information or starting conversation threads about it. They are also great places to initiate contact with people who share the same hobby. If you’re willing and able, you could even create your own website and forum (look for places that offer free websites if budget is a problem). Place notices about your group around the local community too – in libraries, community centers or areas that your potential hobby-lovers are likely to visit. Enlist your friends and you could even hand out fliers prior to your first meeting.

Organize
Visit an established networking website that offers tools for meeting people. You have the possibility to post details about your hobby group’s meeting. This attracts visitors who are looking to join hobby groups and meet like-minded people. If someone is interested in your group, you will be contacted by email and have a chance to approve their acceptance. If you’d like help with starting your group, you could even post an invitation to meet another person who might be interested in helping you host the group prior to organizing your event.

Where to meet
Contact your local library, community center or church who might be willing to lend you a room or hire one for a small fee. Or chose a suitable public place where your first meeting can take place – a quiet cafe would be great if you are starting a book club or a local park if you’re starting a frisbee-playing group. Later on, once you get to know people, and if appropriate, you may choose to meet at your home – in a basement, living room or backyard – or organize taking turns meeting up in the homes of group members.

Maintaining your group
Periodically ask your group members about their expectations from your hobby group. By staying in touch with their thoughts and needs, your group members will continue to want to be part of your hobby group.

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When planning corporate events for your business like conferences, seminars, product launches, and so on, there a number of things your business can do to ensure its success.  However, there are just as many negative things that you can do that can turn your next business conference into a disaster.  Organizing corporate events like networking conferences, seminars, product launches can be a great way to meet people, find new contacts, and reach new customers.  But if your event is poorly run and disorganized, it will only make your business look unprofessional and inexperienced. Here is a list of tips on what not to do when planning your next corporate event.

1. Do not withhold information – One thing that you’ll want to do in planning any corporate event is to share information with the rest of your staff.  You will want to delegate certain responsibilities to certain team members, but keep them informed about everything else.  What you do not want to do is to make assumptions that people know what they’re doing when they really don’t, only leading to confusion you don’t need.

2. Do not neglect to clarify your message with speakers – When having business speakers at your event it is very important to clarify their message with them first before you have them going out there to speak.  The speaker may make a dazzling speech, but if he doesn’t talk about what you requested him to, or forgets to mention your business altogether, that could be a problem.

3. Do not go over budget – What you do not want to do is to have an amazing product launching or business seminar that costs way too much over your budget and puts a strain on your business.  Remember you are having your corporate event to raise money for your business, not to deplete your funds and put you back on square one.  Know all the details of how much this event will cost and plan it accordingly.

4. Do not forget your purpose – Your business may end up hosting a wonderful event, where there were great speakers, great food, and an overall productive environment.  The only problem is nobody knew what it was about.  This could be a big problem as well.  Instead of having too broad of a purpose for an event, clarify the outcome you are seeking beforehand.  What your clear goal is in having this corporate event, and what you are looking to achieve.

5.  Do not forget to be thorough - The last thing you will not want to forget is to be thorough.  You will want to double, and triple check every detail going from the smallest ones, to the most important.  You will not want to overlook anything.  If you are a visionary planner, but not good with details, it might be a better idea to hire a team of professionals to help launch your next corporate event, instead of doing it just yourself.  Having a well organized and well thought out plan might make all the difference in the success or failure of your next large corporate event.

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Starting a business networking group takes time, money, and a lot of effort, but the potential rewards can be staggering.  Having your own business networking group is a great way for you and your business associates to meet new people, meet new customers and share the invaluable experience you have obtained from your efforts.  You may be a business just starting out, or you may be a well established company looking to share your expertise in your field.  You may be a business looking to meet new and interesting contacts that could help your business, or maybe you’re looking to broaden your customer base.  No matter the case, starting a business networking group can have several advantages.

Before you start any business networking group you will want to have a clear purpose in mind.  What the basis is for this networking group, what it can offer my business as well as my associates, and how much it will cost.  You will also want to determine when and where you are going to have your meetings, whether they are at certain locations or even online.  You will want to take care of every detail in advance so that your group looks organized and professional.  Having a disorganized, poorly run networking group just shows other business professionals that you are a poor, unorganized business person, and this will turn them off from doing business with you.

Depending on the size of the group you may want to hire volunteers, or team up with like-minded people who share your vision.  They can help you to shape the direction of your new group, and help to broaden its purpose and goal, not to mention help out on the costs.  You will want to create a clear plan of what the group’s purpose is, when and where the meeting will take place, as well as define guidelines.  The guidelines will help to govern your group so that it runs smoothly and has a clear purpose.  Your guidelines will also establish the cost of membership, how you will choose your leaders, and how to manage the group’s funds.  By creating a thorough set of guidelines on the outset, you’re likely to have less confusion down the road.

You will want to try to come up with a plan for the whole year before you decide to launch your group. You will want to have certain events planned in advance, so that new members can see exactly what you have planned to make a better decision if they would like to become members or not.  Figure out the appropriate meeting time and meeting place and try to stick to that model throughout the year.  Being consistent is vital for any business networking group, as well as being professional and being well organized.  Create a group that people will want to join, not only for meeting people, but to help their businesses grow.  By following these practices, you will make sure that your business networking group doesn’t fizzle out and die within the first few weeks of its launch.

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With women business owners and women business professionals expanding their influence everyday, it is no question that meeting other like-minded women business professionals makes great business sense.  The goal to networking is to meet professionals in your industry that can make your business more powerful and competitive.  But women know that it may sometimes be harder for them to rise through the ranks as fast as men, and women might face some added discrimination that men don’t face.  Because of this, it is even more important to network with a group of like-minded women professionals in your industry so that you can share tips of the trade and offer a support system that you will find invaluable.

Business women, especially women executives have a distinct advantage when it comes to business networking.  Women have been found to have distinct talents in communication, multi-tasking, and strict attention to detail, which are all crucial in developing business networking relationships.  Women have a distinct ability to build relationships with people and to build trust and understanding.  Women can use these professional and personal skills to win over new clients and contacts, not to mention regain the loyalty of old customers.  Women make the perfect business networkers.

There are plenty of business networking groups and organizations that cater specifically to women.  You can find many of these on the internet or find listings at your local chamber of commerce.  Some are organizations where you meet every week, or every month, with other women business professionals in your area that have a unique expertise in your industry.  Or you can network across the world with many online networking sites specifically designed for women business professionals.  Here you can form new relationships, learn from women you have already “made it”, and learn from women who may be starting out like yourself.

If you are a woman trying to get established in a man’s business world, it is not always wrong to seek a little bit of assistance.  And that’s what networking with other women business professionals can do for you.  Try to meet with other women business professionals once a week, if not once a month.  Have your women networking associates make lists of other women professionals that might be interested in networking and go from there.  It is important to build a large network of strictly women networking associates so that you can stay ahead of the competition.  Being a woman in today’s business world can be challenging, but with the right support system and the right network of like-minded associates you will rise to the top of your game as a woman business professional.

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Business networking conferences can be excellent opportunities to meet like minded business owners, and new contacts that can help your business grow.  But putting together a business networking conference yourself can be a daunting task.  You will want to determine the proper venue for your business networking event: if it will be a business luncheon, a small dinner with business associates, or a full fledged business conference.  You will want to decide the type of budget expenses you have to allot for this event, and if any other party is chipping in on the cost.  Throwing a networking conference can be quite expensive, but if you throw it properly it can yield your company ten fold in the new business and contacts you will get from these meetings.

Throwing business networking events can be an excellent marketing tool for your business.  You will get to meet other business leaders in your area, as well as meet new business contacts that can offer you better deals, better services, or even open you up to new business ventures.  The most important part of being involved in these networking events is being part of the business community.  Being part of the business community will create business connections that could last you your entire life, not to mention gain you respect in your community and show other business owners that your are someone who can be trusted.

After you determine the size and time of your venue you will need to determine the demographic.  You will need to define the type of professionals you will want to gather, and determine how they can be of use to your business.  It is better to focus on a specific group, usually individuals in your same industry, as well as other possible connections that may help you or your networking associates.  You will want to make sure that your business venue is accommodative to all your guests and provides the proper parking, seating, facilities and comfort to be suitable for all who attend

You will then need to decide the purpose of this networking event.  Why are you bringing all these like-minded people together and what do you hope to accomplish?  For every business networking event to be successful you will need a clear plan of what you want to accomplish, if not, then you’re just wasting your time and money.  You may want to focus on potential customers, potential contacts, or maybe you just want to meet people who are also business leaders in your community.  Either way, make sure you have a clear goal from the outset of the conference, and a clear purpose so that you’re not wasting other people’s valuable time as well.

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In today’s global marketplace, good business networking both on and offline is essential to growing and maintaining a healthy enterprise.  In order to attract customers and capture their interest, it is imperative that you build an honest and compelling business profile.  With the power of social networking sites at your fingertips and the ever increasing popularity of the blog, it is tempting to create a very light, superficial image of you and your business.  However, while being personable is important, going too far could harm your professional image.  Here are some things you should do and a few things not to do to achieve that perfect balance.

DO be short and to the point.  Readers want to get to the information quickly.  Make your information friendly and easy to read but accurate and on point.

DO Use point form or bullets to describe what you do.  Lists are quick and easy to read.

DON’T exaggerate what you do.  Be honest and genuine.  Even slightly stretching the truth in order to get business will ultimately come back to haunt you.

DON’T be afraid to include a photograph of yourself and /or your staff.  It helps the customer feel like they know you, and getting to know you helps them to trust you.

DO be sure the information in your profile is current.  When things change be sure to make the necessary adjustments to the profile.  The last thing you want is to have a customer reach out to you for a service and then have to say “sorry we don’t do that anymore!”

DO add some personal bits of information such as hobbies or pastimes that may be of interest to your target market.  Again, you are building a sense of friendship and trust which will hopefully lead to a business connection.

DON’T fill your profile with industry jargon and code.  You may know what you’re talking about but your perspective customer may not.

DON’T clutter up your profile with too many web addresses, phone numbers or emails.  You don’t want clients to be so confused about how to reach you that they just don’t bother trying.  Provide one or two of the best ways for them to reach you.

DO be certain to include business credentials and experience related to the business of both yourself and your staff.  Including mini profiles within the overall profile makes your business sound like a family.

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Making a good impression in business is paramount to succeeding in business.  When you are about to meet new people or do some business networking, how you present yourself will often equate to how good you are at what you do in the eyes of both colleagues and bosses. Just like you learned as a youngster, there are certain “golden rules” to follow both in everyday life and business life.  Here are the top 10 rules of business etiquette that you will want to keep in mind.

1.     First and foremost, having good manners is a must.  Please and thank you never go out of style.  Common courtesy towards others should be second nature.

2.    Be on time, or better yet be a little bit early.  Be certain that you have allotted enough time for the meeting so you won’t be concerned about another place that you have to be.

3.    Dress appropriately.  If you are uncertain of what to wear, it is always better to err on the conservative side.  Business casual is generally the rule of thumb to follow.

4.    Prepare yourself ahead of time for both things that you may want to contribute to the meeting, and any information that was given to you ahead of time to read or make notes on.  Come prepared to participate in discussions and activities.

5.    Upon entering the meeting, glance around the room and acknowledge other attendees.  Familiarize yourself with colleagues and managers and make a note of the person who is chairing the meeting.  Try to put names to faces if you’ve met previously and try to remember names of people who have been newly introduced to you.

6.    Although it’s hard to live without text messages, cell calls and emails, you can do it for the duration of a meeting.  It is good etiquette to present the attitude that this meeting is the most important thing on your agenda right now.  Leave word ahead of time with the necessary contacts that you will be in a meeting and then switch everything off when you arrive.

7.    Don’t interrupt the chair when the meeting is in progress.  Take notes so you will be prepared to speak up when the time is right.

8.    When you do speak out, be clear, concise, and stay on topic.  Don’t be afraid to present your point of view, but always be respectful of the point of view of others.

9.    Information exchanged in a meeting is generally considered confidential among those attending the meeting.  Unless you are certain that the subject matter is common knowledge, it is best not to discuss issues with those that were not in attendance.

10.    Bring your positive attitude.  You’ll accomplish a lot more and gain a lot more respect than you will if you are negative and critical.

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Whether you are planning a meeting of your business networking group, or you are about to lead a group of colleagues in some type of discussion, a little planning will go a long way to making your meeting a success.

Few things are more frustrating than spending precious time in a meeting only to come away feeling as though the time was wasted.  We have meetings in order to move forward, accomplish tasks, set goals and make improvements. When none of these things happen, the purpose of the meeting is lost.  In order to have a successful, productive meeting, there are some simple, basic guidelines that should be followed.

1.    Have an Agenda
Except for initial meetings, the agenda should be drawn up at the previous meeting.  But for an initial meeting a clear agenda must be written in advance.  The agenda must include a list of the topics to be covered in the meeting.  If different people are speaking on the topics, be sure to list their names beside their topic.  List the order in which the topics are to be discussed.  Also schedule into the agenda time for warm up discussions, coffee breaks and post meeting evaluation time.  It’s a good idea to give a brief overview of the agenda first, before starting discussions of the individual topics.

2.    Have a Facilitator
Designating someone to be the facilitator helps to keep the meeting focused and forward moving.   The facilitator will also help redirect conversations if attendees start rambling off on tangents, and will also work at drawing quieter members into the meeting while toning down those that tend to dominate.  The facilitator will also be the person who will bring the meeting to a close.

3.    Have someone take minutes
Taking minutes merely involves having someone record everything of importance that happens at the meeting, for example, important points and concerns that were raised, what decisions were made, who is going to do what and when etc.  These recordings can be used for future reference to monitor progress.

4.    Have an agenda for the next meeting
Use the information gathered and points raised during this meeting to draft an agenda for the next one. This provides a starting point and a direction in order to get the next meeting off to a quick start with a focused direction.

5.    Have everyone evaluate the meeting
Take a few minutes at the close of the meeting to gather and record each person’s feelings about the meeting. Was it effective?  Was it too long…too short?  Was it focused?  Was it productive?  Use this information to make improvements for subsequent meetings.

6.    Have 100% of everyone’s attention
Make certain that your meeting is uninterrupted.  Ask members to refrain from making and receiving calls, messages or emails unless it is a real emergency.

Following these basic steps will help you plan and conduct productive, effective meetings.

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“It never hurts to know people”, is commonly thrown around, and for most of us in business that rings true.  And whether we’re aware of it or not, every outing, from your trip to the grocery store, to cocktails out with friends, is a chance be social and make new business connections if you know how.

First, get over whatever fear you may have of talking to strangers.  They won’t bite, and while some may just be unfriendly, most people don’t mind a bit of small talk while waiting in line or out at the bar.  You’re not going to strike gold with every conversation, but if you don’t get yourself out there the chances of making any connections predictably drop to close to nothing.  In the long run putting yourself out there is necessary, and that little bit of effort goes a long way.

Second, don’t assume that business contacts have to come from a place of business.  Yes, your chances are higher that a trade show will yield a great contact, but you can also meet fantastic people everywhere from a little league game to your local library.  Even if the people you meet don’t help you in business, these contacts will strengthen your bond with the local community and give you practice in connecting with strangers for the day you need to reel in a big fish.

Third, be prepared.  Being friendly and chatting is great, but be prepared to have something with your name on it.  Business cards are an amazing investment as they look professional in any situation, but even if your empire is not in the working world consider a calling card with a personal touch to spare the trouble of constantly scraping for pens and paper.

Finally, if you do need to seriously push to connect with people, like at an event or conference, set goals for yourself.  Set 5-10 business cards in your pocket with the goal to hand them out by the end of the event, or if there is a specific kind of person you need to get in touch with, use event materials to plan who you need to meet.  Don’t feel let down if it doesn’t happen, but setting goals may give you the push you need to go further than you would otherwise.

Making connections and networking in business can be stressful but with practice, preparation and a smile meeting people can be an enjoyable part of your everyday life with a positive impact on your career.

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