How can you get great at networking?

10-step plan:

1. Listen. With your inside, instead of your outside ear. Listen to what is said with the heart instead of the words. Always wonder why people are saying something, not what they are saying. Listen to the needs of others. 
   
   
2. KISS. Keep It Short and Simple. Formulate your thoughts briefly and clearly.
   
   
3. Smile. Try to smuggle a smile into your spontaneous facial expression. Friendly accessible is the attitude that you will serve you best to interact with most.
   
   
4. Understand reason. Be understanding, put yourself in the shoes of your conversation partner. Look from his world. His interests.
   
   
5. Be interested. And only afterwards interesting yourself. The first is much more important than the second. In networks, but also in life in general.
   
   
6. Be enthusiastic. Ray. Sympathize. Feel empathy.
   
   
7. Have a sense of humour. And if you don't have it, borrow it. Appreciate humour in others. Watch how they do it. Laugh at yourself. Put yourself or the situation into perspective.
   
   
8. Learn. Try to set yourself a goal for every social or professional meeting. In principle, there is something to learn from everyone. Find it and take it with you. Make it a game. It is more fun and healthier than filling yourself with drinks or food.
   
   
9. Connect. Look for common ground. Things you both have or like. Everyone has parents, apart from a few orphans. Everyone takes vacation, sleeps, eats, has to pay taxes. There is always something to connect with.
   
   
10. Stay in touch. After you connect, it is vital that you follow up and maintain that contact. If you have made a promise, you must keep it. Especially if you want your network to grow and become powerful.