Last week the Market Connections team attended a “Lunch ââ?¬Ë?n’ Learn” about effective networking, where we learned the following eight tips to make networking easier.

1. Read professional magazines outside of your profession, particularly those of your suppliers/vendors or clients

2. Read magazines about hobbies you aren’t interested in (In addition to those you are!)
Popular choices may include jogging, cooking, landscaping, or golfing. Knowing a little bit about a lot of different subjects makes it very easy to chat, and network, with others.

3. Set a connection target and stick to it
If you contact just four people a day, that’s 100 touch-points each month!
When you attend an event, make it your goal to meet at least 5 new people.
4. When speaking with people, ask open ended questions
An easy example of this is “Tell me more about”¦.”

5. Remember things that are important to people
Most people will forgive you if you forget things, but remember that their little girl just turned five and started kindergarten, and you’re a star.

6. Connect people with similar interests or to solve a problem
If you know two people who would benefit from knowing each other, introduce them. By offering a favor you have now made yourself look great to both�and they both owe you.

7. POSITIVITY!
Always approach others with a smile on your face and a cheery comment. Don’t be negative or critical right off the batââ?¬â?remember, you attract more bees with honey!

8. Don’t force networking
If you have an event to attend, but you have too much on your plateââ?¬â?don’t force yourself. There are always more opportunities to network later, and forcing will probably put off more people than it will attract.

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As the ultra tech-savvy Gen Y enters the workforce, digital information channels & new technologies are exploding. They’re most likely to use only a cell phone, watch their desired TV shows on their own time, get most of their information on the web, and be super connected to their entire social and professional networks.  Not surprisingly, they’re bringing these technologies and habits into the workforce and making an impact on the way that both private and public sector organizations do business. 

We want to know how the emerging technologies of Web 2.0 are changing the way you work.  Please comment below.

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Embarking on one of our more adventurous vacations, in June my wife and I decided (that is, I decided and then begged relentlessly until she agreed) to fly to the Canadian Arctic and camp on an ice floe. My reason for going was simple: alarmed by all the news about global warming, I wanted to experience the land, culture and wildlife before it all melts away. It was a five night trip, although 24 hours of sunshine rendered “night” a meaningless term. There were nine of us in total, a small but very lively group from England, Scotland, Japan, Germany, America and, to headline news in his own country, the first Guatemalan ever to travel so far north.
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“Going green“, or becoming a more environmentally conscious company, is a growing trend that cannot be ignored in today’s society. Many companies are already taking steps to be more environmentally friendly, including Bank of America, Starbucks, Hewlett-Packard, and Wal-Mart. And going green isn’t just good for the environmentââ?¬â?even taking small steps to cut back energy consumption can save companies a substantial amount of money each year.

The federal government is leading the charge, by offering telework options to employees, encouraging the purchase of green products, and enhancing buildings, by adding a “green roof“. (A “green roof” is a roof that has had grasses and other plants added to it. These plants help to reduce greenhouse gasses by cycling carbon dioxide to oxygen and preventing rainwater runoff that causes erosion and pollutes rivers and streams. Some green roofs even include dining or sitting areas!)

Want tips to help your company go green? Check out the Small Business Guide to Energy Efficiency on the Small Business Administration website and the EnergySavers website (a joint project created by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

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