Q: “Denise, how can I make my meetings with my networking group more effective in terms of getting business?”

Great question! The first thing you can do is make sure you are making a great impression. That means showing up early, not being on your phone, dressing appropriately for the group, and not leaving early.

Once you have determined that you are on track there, take a look at how you are connecting at the meetings. Are you engaging with new people all the time or do you usually sit with the same folks? Making sure you mix it up and ask the people you are sitting with engaging questions is key to being asked questions back, and therefore being asked what you do for a living.

When you are asked what you do for a living, do you have an intriguing response…better than, “I help my clients buy and sell real estate.”? When I was selling real estate, my response was, “I help people build wealth through real estate.” That usually garnered additional follow-up questions and began the conversation.

Finally, do you show up outside of the regular meetings? If there are service or social events that your group puts on, is your hand the first up? Giving people the opportunity to see you in a different venue, possibly getting your hands dirty or working for a cause, is a great way to connect!

^{Source: The Real Estate Zebra Blog}