Business Networking - 7 Tips to keep food from Sabotaging your network

The season started networking. And if these events are cocktails and canapés, you will be caught in the same situation as everyone else. How do you network and eat and drink, all at the same time?

Here's the typical scenario. You approach someone who is shoveling food into his mouth, and he puts his hand as if to stop. He can not really talk now.

Or you put your hand to shake someone's hand. She is holding a cold drink, so she must find a place to put the drink down. Then she wipes her hands on their pants or jacket and shaking hands, while apologizing for his hands cold and clammy. Not a pretty picture, right?

Here are 7 tips to help you network well, and still enjoy the food!

1. Do not try to network and eat at the same time. The network is not eating, he is to meet people. That's why it's called Net-Work, not net-sit or net-eating. If you are hungry before the event, try to eat before you go.

2. If you do not have the chance to grab a bite before the event, when you arrive, find a place to sit and eat some 'delicious food. Then get up and network.

3. If you still want to eat and talk, here's how. Choose foods that are easy to eat, such as carrots or cheese and crackers. Warning: Do not take that cherry tomato. It 's likely that tomato juice sprayed on the person in front of you.

4. Always carry a towel with his left hand, so you can clean your fingers after eating something. And keep your right hand ready to shake hands.

5. Avoid anything greasy or sticky, such as fried chicken wings. Be careful of hot sandwiches that can burst open or fall apart in your fingers.

6. Keep cold drinks with his left hand, then the right hand is always ready to shake hands. Hold the glass by the stem with his left hand as well.

7. To maintain both a dish and a drink, use the layering technique. Here's how it goes. Keep a small plate with his left hand. Put your glass of wine on the plate and anchor it with your thumb. Put a towel under the pot and keep it there. Every time you eat, wipe your fingers on the napkin. Voila! Now you can add finger food to your plate, and still keep the right hand available for shaking.

There's more to creating successful networks that only eat and drink. You must know how to deal with people, how to present yourself, and as a follow-up....