Friday, September 14, 2012

Tips For Success At The Networking Event

You have prepared and planned for your networking event with almost military precision. You have arrived in plenty of time; you are relaxed and mentally prepared. Now what do you do? Do you rush in and hand out business cards to anyone who will take them? No! Don't do that. Here instead are nine great tips that will help you maximize your networking enjoyment and potential success.

1 - Meet your pre-arranged contacts

After you have been greeted by the event host, and if you previously arranged to meet with a sponsor or business colleague, make sure that you seek them out as promised. Do not spend all your time talking to the people you know well. Save this for another day. After all, everyone is really there to meet new people.
2 - Get introduced to others

Use the host or people you already know to introduce you to others that you may want to meet. This method gets rid of the sometimes awkward ice-breaking stage.

3 - Be the introducer

This is a great way to feel confident. Introducing people demonstrates your confidence and social grace. Pay particular attention to people who seem lost, shy or simply isolated. They will love the chance to be introduced to someone so after talking a little with them yourself, find out who they want to meet and then make the introduction. You will feel really good about this simple act.

4 - Refreshments and snacks

These can be a nightmare. If the event has a sit-down meal element that is fine and you can eat and talk as you would in any other dining situation. If the refreshments and snacks are intended to be eaten whilst mingling then I would suggest that you stick to soft drinks only. Even handling a cup and saucer with coffee or tea can be tricky when you are expected to shake hands or kiss cheeks. Don't even get me started about people spraying crumbs of food when they talk or getting food in their teeth - leave the snacks for later.

5 - Be careful with your promises

This may sound counter-intuitive but don't just give your cards out to everyone you meet. Only swap contact details with people you feel it is worth keeping in contact with. It is unfair and a waste of everyone's time to give the impression you want to connect with people you really don't want to connect with. If you promise to call someone or follow-up with some more information, then you had better make sure you do it. Make a to-do list and stick to it. This will help you protect your hard-earned credibility.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Tips For Choosing The Perfect Small Business Accountants

Business accountants play an important role in the life of small businesses even though the financial state is no longer as steady as it was in the past. The field where accountants shine vary greatly and it might not be what you are searching for. To be able to find an accountant that can work efficiently for your small enterprise, read this post.

Tip 1: Be Sure You Know Exactly What You Need

It is important that you figure out the assistance of business accountants before you decide to look for one for your business. Several of the specific tasks that they can perform are accounting, tax return and accounting software installation among others. The cost of their services depends on the work that you ask them to conduct. This is the reason why it is vital that you figure out what you would like them to perform in your small enterprise. Carrying this out enables you to figure out what are the characteristics you prefer for a business accountant.

Tip 2: Come up with a Short List

The next step that you must carry out is making a list of names of business accountants that you might like to hire. Internet is the best way you can utilize so that you won't be having any difficulty locating an accountant. In the internet, expect to see many accounting companies and people who provide the services you want. If you want, you can always ask suggestions for an accountant from people you recognize and are close to you like legal professionals, bankers or individuals who have their small business.

Tip 3: Checking their Credentials Is Important

Perform a little research. Most accounting companies have their very own website which you can check out if you want to find out more about them. It is exactly where they post the services they give as well as the price. Make sure that they are associated with accounting companies such as the National Institute of Accountants (NIA) and Chartered Accountants (CA). These companies require their members to update themselves by obtaining continuing professional education. This will also help you in narrowing your short listing to 3 to 5 accountants.