You all know that networking is an extremely important part of owning your own business. That said, it doesn't mean you relish the thought of doing so.

It means getting dressed and looking nice so you make a good impression on people. You have maybe 10 seconds to make an impression and if it's a bad one?? It's hard to do a Do Over.

I was at a conference a few years ago and a very successful 7 figure coach was there. In her pictures she looked great. But in person? Oh Dear.

She looked like a hair dresser hadn't touched her in at least a year. Her clothes were ill fitting and years out of style. She had on no makeup at all. And what makes this worse is that she was one of the speakers so was on stage! And she looked like this for all 3 days, so it wasn't just a fluke of a day.

I mention this because after having met her in person, I lost respect for her. I lost that sense of 'wow, you are so successful I'd like to be part of your tribe'. And it didn't take 3 days for me to figure that out, I knew it in the first 5 minutes.

So, pay attention to how you present yourself. I know it might sound unfair to judge people by their looks but we do. You don't have to be a beauty queen, most of us aren't. But do take the time to put yourself together before you venture out to a networking event.

Another tip is to be sure you have your 'script' well-rehearsed. What are you going to say when someone asks you 'what do you do?' You have to be prepared so you are not jumbling over your words. Practice at home; say it to yourself over and over again until you know it by heart. And smile when you say it! A simple smile goes a long way.

The other thing that many people drop the ball on is in the follow up.

Why take the time to get ready for the event, go to the event and talk to all kinds of people and then not follow up? Do you ever go home and just toss all the business cards you have gathered in a drawer?

Even if you meet someone and there really isn't a fit for your two businesses, at the very least email them a note saying how nice it was to meet them. You never know who they might know that could use your services or you might know of others that could benefit from theirs.

The bottom line is to make the effort to get yourself out there. If you are an introvert, then simply fake it till you make it and become the extrovert for an hour. You might even have fun!!

Action Step: Networking can truly help your business succeed and grow. How many networking events can you attend in this next month? And don't forget to put your best foot forward!