Find networking events scary or a complete waste of time? Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon’s book ‘Make Your Contacts Count’ has great tips about how to make the most of conferences, professional association events and even the accidental encounters that could potentially turn into mutually useful contacts.

With our Baptist Community Ministries conference only months away (4 - 6 August 2011), this tip from the book about how to connect at conferences could be timely:

 1. Get ready to GIVE—make a list of things you can share with those you meet at the conference e.g. new resources, your special expertise, solutions to problems.

2. Figure out what you want to GET—answers to challenges, people you’d like to meet, resources you need.

3. Take along other people’s AGENDAS—ask your colleagues what pressing concerns they have, and then hunt for answers for them while at conference.

4. PICK sessions carefully—focus on the knowledge you need and the skills you want to develop. Look for the right sessions that will force you to re-evaluate, plan for the future, expand your horizons.

5. Put IDEAS to use—if you have colleagues with you at conference, meet with them for a “How-are-we-going-to-apply-this?” brainstorming session after a keynote speech or seminar.

6. THINK of a question or two to ask a speaker—let the experts help you solve a problem or meet a challenge.

 For a complete list of ‘How to connect at conferences’ tips go to www.career-intelligence.com/management/ConnectatConferences.asp, or, even better, get a copy of the ‘Make Your Contacts Count’ book for a complete guide to networking basics.