Treat your Networking as part of your marketing activities

Take time to plan your networking activities and do it with a purpose. You should view networking as an integral part of your marketing activities, and plan them accordingly. For example, if you belong to a networking club, and have to deliver a 60 second "elevator speech", take some time and if necessary get some professional help in crafting your speech. Don't just turn up and do it off the "top of your head". You wouldn't produce ad copy for a press ad without careful consideration - why should your 60 seconds be anything different? And, practice...practice...practice.