Do you want to promote the new project you are launching? Would you like to meet an industry leader who can become a valuable mentor? Want to find potential new employees for open positions in your company? A clear goal will make networking less confusing and lead to more efficient connections. Think about spending some time on an event looking for people with a company that complements your business – perhaps a DIY store – with whom you can build relationships that can lead to co-marketing opportunities. When communicating with new people, this can be much less intimidating when you’re sitting backstage, personal communication is an extremely valuable skill that can be improved if you want to build strong relationships with investors, managers, employees, partners, mentors and potential customers. The next time you go to an event, you ask yourself: “Who should I meet and why? Some registration platforms, such as Eventbrite, display the list of participants on the registration page. Whether you are trying to develop your personal career or building new offline business relationships, building personal relationships becomes very important as social networks become the norm. Your approach to getting what you expect from the network is no different than the importance of expressing your flexibility. Remember how well we had the time to find work through the newspaper ads? It’s hard to believe, especially since 70% of jobs are personal relationships,” says John Bennett, director of the McColl School of Business Master’s program. Participating in their conversation to tell them that you love their work or admire their approach to business will not invite them to a stimulating conversation. But when they were browsing important blogs and reading industry news, they felt much more confident when they met suppliers and made valuable contacts that evening. Sometimes we participate in networking events in the hope of meeting the CEO of a company we admire or the author of a book that values our career. If you pause the conversation, say, “Please tell me how the project is going, I’d like to see and hear how it goes: “This will show your dedication, and even if it ends, you won’t be offended.