We've all heard the old saying, "it's all about who you know," but is it really?

To be frank, Yes.  It really is.

Networking- the act of connecting with others and forming a relationship (of any sort) – is beneficial in business settings, as well as our personal lives.  In the same way that your best friend "knows someone" and scored tickets to your favorite concert for you, having a great working relationship with someone (or a lot of people), can help your business score big.  Events are a fantastic avenue for networking.  A well-planned event will put other industry leaders and consumers in front of you, giving you the opportunity to connect and build a relationship.

While it's easy to accept an invitation to an event, making sure that you benefit from attending can be tricky.  Networking can seem daunting and almost unnatural for some business-types.  The trick is to remember that everyone else at the event is a person too.

Think about interactions you've had with new people in the past who you ended up hitting it off with- what did you say at the beginning?  More often than not, you asked a question about the other person and they caught your attention (and vice versa).  Be relaxed, and don't just think of the person you are meeting as a potential sale for your business. A strong relationship can often bring you more revenue, an increased customer base and a stronger business in the long run than an immediate sale ever could.

Bradley Will, of Unstrapp'd (A resource for Gen Y entrepreneurs) gives the top three questions to ask to become a networking champion in his November 3 blog entry.  You can find them here:  http://unstrappd.com/2009/11/03/become-a-networking-champion-with-3-questions/

What do you think? What are your best tips for becoming a networking champion?  Do you have a networking success story?