Hello
Just as you would prepare for a business meeting, you need to prepare to attend a networking event.

* Put monthly attendance on your calendar and pay for the event. By paying in advance, you create a commitment. (If you haven't paid, you might decide not to show up.)
* Set a goal for each networking event. If there's someone in particular you want to meet, make sure you get introduced. Or perhaps you want to take away specific business tips from the speaker or meet a client.
* Travel solo. If you go with someone you know, split up, so that you both can meet new people. You can't put referral networking into place if you stay with the people you already know.
* Plan your personal introduction. How will you introduce yourself in a way that's intriguing and will make people want to hear more about what you do? Create a short, five-second “blurb” that engages your audience. (For example, a colleague of mine is a content strategist, writer, and editor. Her intro blurb is: “Making the world a better place, one word at a time.” It's light-hearted, easy to understand, and opens the door to a conversation.)
* Prepare insightful questions. Always have a few questions prepared to begin a conversation. You could ask if other attendees have been to this business networking event before, or have heard the speaker before, or you could comment on something in the news — just stay away from politics.

Thanks