Networking Know-How

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7 Tips For Event Organisers

Shanghai is absolutely chock full of networking events, taking up most of the calendar and covering just about every niche. However, not all events are created equal. We've collected a few tips for those already organising events or planning to plunge into the world of events planning. Most of these tips focus on networking events, of course, but could apply to all sorts of other events too.

And yes, unfortunately I have experienced all of the below (as a networker, not an organiser)

1. Cut down on the seating

This may seem odd, but it's one of the key factors a lot of people miss when sorting out a venue. While sitting down may be good for an individual, it can really damage the group dynamic of an event, since if people are comfortably sat down, they're not mingling. With tables, things only get worse. Approaching a group sitting around a table chatting is a lot more intimidating for most people than approaching someone standing up.

Networking Bookmarks

Alex Cureton-Griffiths

Building Instant Rapport: The Art of Mirroring

Alex Cureton-Griffiths

Rapport. You've either got it, or you haven't. Today we're going to share one of the most effective mechanisms for generating rapport -- a technique called mirroring.

Do you remember that annoying game you played when you were a kid? The one where you copied whatever your "friend" did until they went ballistic and tried to choke you with Lego bricks? Looking back on it, it all seemed a little dumb but your younger self might just have been onto something...

9 Ways to Look More Confident

Alex Cureton-Griffiths

Your body says more about you than you think, and if there's ever a time when you want your body to be saying the right thing it's when you're out there networking, surrounded by opportunities to make a good first impression.

That's not all. More confident body language can make you more attractive to the opposite sex (or the same sex, if you're into that) and just make you feel better generally. That's because it isn't just that a good mood causes good body language -- the cycle goes the other way too.

So, how about those 9 ways to improve your confidence?

1. Have a strong firm handshake

Nothing conveys confidence like a robust handshake, and yet it's something that many people have trouble with, whether overseas or in China. A good handshake should be firm, dry and not too long.

See our article, Have a handshake you can be proud of for more details.

Keep reading to find out the 8 other ways to look more confident...

Two Techniques for Tongue-Tied Networkers

Alex Cureton-Griffiths

As we mentioned in You Don't Have to be Talkative to be a Great Networker, knowing what to say is not the be all and end all of networking, and listening is important above all else. However, sooner or later you've got to hold up your end of the conversation. To keep a conversation going, and to keep the other person interested, there are two strategies to help you along:

Strategy 1: How did you____?

This is easy, and it's such an open-ended question that it can get the other person talking ad infinitum. Simply ask a question about how they got to be where they are today. For example: