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Studies have identified five common traits of exceptional networkers and knowing, learning and practicing these five traits can turn what many people consider to be a daunting activity into a fun and very cost effective way to grow your business!

Positive attitude
All great networkers have a positive attitude. They’re not depressed by economic downturns, skyrocketing interest rates, or tax rate changes. Nor are they syrupy, over-evangelical, super-hyped sales people of the “Gee isn’t life beautiful” variety.

Great networkers are honest about their struggles and their setbacks, but they exude an air of quiet assurance that regardless of the current struggle they will find a way around it. They’re the type of people you just want to be around!

If you want to be a great networker you will need to cultivate a positive attitude. Hang around other positive people, learn to count your blessings, and always walk into a networking event prepared with at least one positive thing you can say when others ask “How’s business going?”

Enthusiastic & motivated
Great networkers are motivated to make things happen and are always working on improvements to themselves and their business.

They’re enthusiastic about their business and their life in general. They’re the people you look forward to meeting again because you can’t wait to hear how that new idea they were trying out has worked.

Great networkers don’t just keep their enthusiasm to themselves either – they let it spill over into your business! Enthusiastic people are the ones who are really interested in your business the first time they meet you and remain that way every time they see you.

Talking to them just makes you want to run out the door back to your business to get stuck into something you’ve been thinking of doing for a while! If you’re enthusiastic and motivated you’ll find others will constantly seek you out for your professional opinion and advice.

Trustworthy & dependable
You can always depend on great networkers. If they say they are going to do something you can bet your life on the fact that they will do it.

You know that anything you say in confidence to them will remain that way. Great networkers are the sort of people you want around when you are struggling with a business issue or when you need a second opinion on a business problem.

Great listening skills
All human beings like to feel like their story has been listened to. Great networkers make you feel like you’ve really been heard.

They use active listening skills to learn about their current and prospective customers and to understand their business needs.

Remember that old adage – you’ve got one mouth but two ears? If you listen twice as much as you speak you’ll be amazed how much more effective your business relationships become.

Follow up on referrals
Great networkers always follow up on the referrals they receive. They do it straight away, with confidence, and leave their current and prospective customers with something of value to them – an idea, a newspaper clipping of interest, an invitation to an event they know they will benefit from.

By following up their customers, great networkers demonstrate all of the traits that make them great networkers – a positive attitude, enthusiasm, reliability, and how well they have listened to their customers’ concerns.