Let’s be honest, we’d all love to have a nosey through each others handbags to see what’s inside…well I thought I’d share what’s in mine whenever I head off to a networking event!
Here are my absolute networking essentials and the reasoning behind each of them…
- Comb
Having long hair a comb’s a must – traveling to a networking event can sometime sometimes be wet and windy so I often want a quick refresh when I arrive
- Mints
Depending on the buffet you mint want to pop a mint before jumping back into networking, onion breath ain’t good for no one!
- Water Bottle
Talking to people is thirsty work! Having your own water bottle to hand means no paper-cup waste, plus mine is extra friendly (these will be launching and available to buy very soon!)
- Mirror
Check yourself before you wreck yourself as they always say! A quick glance in a pocket mirror can prevent any last minute issues of food in teeth or smudged eyeliner
- Lippy
After drinking lots of coffee and eating breakfast sarnies you might want a little lippy touch-up – I love a bright colour as it helps you stand out
- Name Badge
The majority of us struggle to remember people’s names, so having your own name badge really helps people out, it’s great for branding too.
- Spray
Depending on the venue and time of year networking events can get very hot very quick (lots of people in a confined space talking a lot!) so having a quick spritz can help you feel fresh
- Notebook
An absolute must for any networking event – keeping notes about the people you meet and any follow up actions you’ve got to do will really help you be a more effective networker. It’s also the perfect place to write down any information you found useful, or key points from the speaker(s)! You can get your own networking notes HERE or find any book that you love and dedicate to your networking activities.
I do also have a digital contactless business card that I take to events that isn’t pictured here, but you can find out more about it and how it works HERE!
I hope this helps! For more networking tips follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok!