Some men have been taught, not to extend their hand first, to women, so you need to put your hand out for the handshake. To help recall a person's name later, say his or her name aloud as you shake hands. Repetition is a memory aid, as is associating that, person's name with someone you already know with the same name.
Be on time
It can be hard to judge how much time it will take to finish your breakfast at a restaurant crowded with convention attendees, or to figure out how long it will take to find rest rooms and locate a seminar room, but, don't let new situations and distractions keep you from attending panels and other events on time.
When doors are constantly opening and closing because of late comers to a seminar, the rest of the attendees are disturbed. The mouse may also disrupt the speaker. It might be assumed that a woman late because she's flaky or was still putting on her makeup. Don't reinforce that image: Be polite and be on time. Pad your commute schedule with plenty of time-even if it means arriving too early. You can always bring something to read or work on.
Carry business cards
This is your opportunity to meet others in your industry. Don't forget to bring lots of business cards and carry them with you to all events. People remember names when they see them in print. And the cards you collect may prove to be from valuable business contact later. When meeting others, initiate a business-card exchange as often as possible. Make sure to write a note or two on the back of the card you receive so you'll be able to remember the contact later when yon sort, through a deck of cards after the trip.
Join a group
It can be downright scary to walk into a room full of people and realize you don't really know anyone there. At, an opening event mixer, there is a business responsibility to network and meet others. But women have been taught to wait to be introduced. This situation is an exception to that old standard, and it will take some courage to get started.
First of all, put yourself in a positive frame of mind by reminding yourself that you are a bright, interesting, and professional individual whom others are just, waiting to meet. Look over the room and find a small group that isn't clustered in a tight, exclusionary huddle. Walk up, smile, and say, "Hi. You look like you're having an interesting conversation. I hope you don't mind if I join you. My name is "
Alternately, you might find someone who is standing alone, perhaps looking over the scene much as you are. If there is entertainment, you can walk up, smile, and say, "Hi. This band is quite good, don't you think? My name is..." and extend your hand. Or perhaps you can make a comment on the interesting presentation of the food or mention that you might have seen the person in a seminar earlier in the day, as a way of opening a conversation.
Often, such gatherings are designed to get participants to mix and meet new people. For example, there may be some sort of "ice-breaker," perhaps clues written on the backs of name tags that direct attendees to seek out particular people. Or you may be assigned to a particular table or group. These devices should help ease you into making those initial contacts. Just be sure to keep the ball rolling after your first introductions.
Making safe small talk
Once you've got the conversation started, it may be difficult to keep it going. After you get past the usual questions about what someone's job is and what seminars he or she has attended, it may be a challenge to come up with anything else to say. After all, those people are strangers.
First of all, play it safe and apply the standard rules of small talk - don't discuss money, religion, or politics. An obvious topic is your industry. Perhaps there are some new developments, current issues, or even universal concerns that you could bring up. Some simple non-work topics to continue a conversation could include movies, vacations, music, art, sports, weather, or books. You can find out a lot about person just from these areas of interest. Some people like to discuss their children, but let someone else open that conversation, and enter cautiously. If you do discuss your work or employer, be positive. You don't want to run down your company or be a complainer in a public forum.
Don't overpower the conversation, but don't be a shrinking violet. One of the most sure-fire ways to keep a conversation going is to ask questions or others. Most people enjoy talking about themselves, and it will help put them at ease.
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