Networking 101

Networking Etiquette

Effective networkers always respect:

Time. They don't ask for too much or too little and they mind the clock vigilantly once a meeting commences.
Offers to help. They show sincere gratitude for offers to make personal introductions, follow up promptly on referrals and never use the contact's name for referral purposes without permission.
Confidentiality. They don't attribute information to a contact or other source without reflecting on whether the disclosure will compromise the person.
The value of gratitude. They communicate appreciation at the meeting , send a thank you letter immediately following the meeting, inform the contact of where and how her/his counsel has been valuable, provide the contact with information that may be of interest and speak warmly of the contact's helpfulness to others.
A two way exchange. They share any information that picked up along the way that may be valuable to their contacts.
Keeping contacts informed. They periodically inform their network of their progress. Contacts like to know if their advice or direction was helpful.