“How to work a room” – Networking Training

Date: Thursday 14^th April 2011

Venue: Copa Bar, 76-78 King's Road, Reading RG1 3BJ

Walking into a room with total strangers can be terrifying, even for experienced networkers.  This is so true!  The aim of this session was to feel more confident in attending events and creating new contacts and I’m confident that all those who attended the session agree that we certainly achieved this.

Throughout this session of practical training we covered quite an array of topics on networking including:

- How to prepare for networking

- How and when to initiate conversations

- How and when to break into group conversations

- How to end conversations

- How to follow up on contacts

“How to work a room” is an excellent, highly interactive training session which was led by Solveig Malvik and Sarah Beckwith, giving participants an opportunity to learn to practice and develop their networking skills.  The session demonstrated how the 14 participants could structure and ‘sell’ themselves more effectively throughout the course of the session with some very handy key tips.

A key focus was answering the questions “What do you do?” and “how do you do it?” and

providing responses both in partners and feeding back to the rest of the group using the key tips of being clear, to the point and highlighting how you add value.    

Participants had plenty of opportunities throughout the session to practice developing their networking skills, through group work, practice and providing constructive feedback. 

Some of the key tips we learned and practiced throughout the session included:  

- Introductions and the all important 30 second elevator pitch

- Name badges (top right of clothing)

- Business cards

- Handshakes (eye contact, smiling, firm handshake/interlock)

- Preparation (questions to ask/starting conversations)

- Listening

- Body language

- Make people like you by allowing them to talk about themselves (my personal favourite tip!)

Trainers:

Training was provided by Solveig Malvik, JCI UK National Deputy President 2011, Certified Local Trainer, Immediate Past President JCI London, JCI UK Marketing Director 2011. 

Solveig was assisted by Sarah Beckwith, President JCI London 2011.

Finally, on behalf of all those who participated, thank you Solveig and Sarah for a great session, it was very useful, informative and good fun!

If this sounds like it would have been of interest to you please check out Solveig's next workshop which includes making the best first impression.