Networking has the ability to open many doors to anyone at any stage of their career. Meeting and talking to the right people can earn you free advice, awareness for you and your company, word-of-mouth referrals and if done correctly, networking has the potential to gain you credibility, trust, professionalism, knowledge, and expertise.

Here’s a list of five things to avoid when networking:

1. Don’t go all in — Never send messages severally to all the business cards you receive. If you must send messages at all minimize the number of networks you intend reaching out to based on how you easily connected during the meet. Also, beware of the time of the day to send emails, we advise you send your emails either before late noon or in the evenings

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions — Almost everyone is worried about appearing stupid or ignorant but there’s no need. Asking questions does not portray ignorance, rather, it shows a willingness to learn. The vast majority of people you will meet will be willing to pitch a thing or two of their knowledge and expertise, so make sure you listen intently and ask as many questions as you can.

3. Don’t overzealously self-promote — It is important that you build a relationship first. Of course, you can talk about your products/services but don’t be overzealous to the extent that all you incessantly talk about seems to be ‘my product this, my product that,’ this tactic is more likely to annoy than build valuable relationships.

4. Don’t forget to follow up — At least a minimum of 2 days from the day of the meeting should be ideal enough to follow-up on your network. Why? You want the memory of the meeting to remain fresh. This way you won’t seem like a thorn in their flesh. Delay in following up will make them quickly forget those they met at the gathering, and you don’t want that.

5. Don’t be timid — When it comes to networking, timidity is a thing that should stay back, well way back. Never feel intimidated to speak to anyone at networking gatherings, be it online or offline. More importantly, never feel intimidated to re-connect with the contacts you’ve made at these gatherings.

Conclusively, it is important to note that networking gatherings are excellent platforms to meet people one-on-one and sell yourself as well as your brand. So, be excited to introduce your brand when the opportunity arises.