Schmooze Your Way to Success: 11 Fearless Networking Tips for the Shy, Timid, Introverted and Just Plain Clueless

Do you turn into a pillar of stone when you enter a room filled with strangers? Do you collect as many business cards as you can without ever following up? Do you hang on to the first person you meet in hopes that you’ll never be left alone? Do you avoid networking events because you think everyone there is a phony or a fake? Are you often stumped on what to say after you’ve been asked “So, what do you do?”

Networking can be quite miserable experience. You may feel awkward, shy and uncomfortable in a room full of strangers. Written by an introvert, Schmooze Your Way to Success will help you become natural at schmoozing - even if you're timid or just plain clueless.

To illustrate the networking mistakes to avoid, you'll meet nine clueless networkers - Ned the Narcissist, Pam the Puppeteer, Barb the Blabber, Chris the Church Mouse, Tom the Topic Killer, Greg the Group Flirt, Anne the Ankle Hugger, Mike the Moocher and Fran the Follow-up Flop. Through their networking mistakes, you’ll learn:

• How to create the right networking “game plan” even if you’re an introvert or don’t have a magnetic personality

• Ways to dress professionally so you send the right message and attract your ideal client

• Why crafting a Memorable Interest Pitch (or MIP) will get you more attention than a 30-second elevator pitch

• The simple way to engage in small talk so it leads to big results

• How to use the 55 rule to help you avoid sticking with the first person you meet at a networking event

• The sticky topics to avoid so you create friends - and not enemies

• Why using props can do more harm to your brand than good (and what you should use instead to create a memorable first impression)

• Why treating your business cards like a $100 bill helps you become more discriminating on who to give them to

• The easiest way to follow-up without being a pest or losing track of time