by Lillian D. Bjorseth

No matter what industry you are in or what level you have reached in your business or career, you can profit from building additional high-value relationships. Networking is your vehicle … whether you want to start a new business, increase your sales, get a new job or promotion or merge or acquire an existing business.

Part I of Breakthrough Networking provides an introduction to the relationship-building process and helps you discover your networking behavioral style. Each of you behaves differently; however, there are enough similarities that since the days of Hercules, behavior has been explained in terms of four basic temperaments or styles.

• Take a networking style quiz.
• Learn your networking strengths and limitations.
• Get suggestions for improvements.
• Learn strategies for networking more effectively with each style.

Part II discusses the importance of non-gender imaging skills and how to create and manage the impression you make on others.

• Learn the importance of color, style and fit
• Bone up on body language and the vital role of the "silent" language
• Understand how
  
  - posture
  - handshakes
  - gestures
  - space bubbles
  - eye contact
  - seating arrangements

play an important role in making positive first impressions and maintaining them throughout conversations or conferences.

Part III provides relationship-building techniques to turn a chance meeting or a planned encounter into a mutually beneficial business connection.

• Set and meet networking goals.
• Prepare your verbal business card.
• Design and use your business cards wisely.
• Act like a host.
• Stay in touch.
• Make friends with the media.
• Understand and decode gender differences in communication.
• Network to get or change jobs.
• Connect while on the road.
• Psyche yourself.

Part IV provides you with proven icebreakers you can use to get attendees mingling before and during your meetings and conferences. Among them are:

• 52 Ways To Break The Ice & Target Your Market
• 2 + 2 = 4 or More
• Networking Poker
• Networking Bingo
• Six Degrees of Separation
• Permission to Impersonate

Breakthrough Networking will help you "break through" to sell more products and services, find the job you want and catapult and propel you to the top. Make it your constant, friendly companion in the serious business of building lasting relationships.