Networking is a major part of growing a small business. If you don't get out there to meet and mingle² with your target audience, your peers and leaders in your industry, you are severely³ limiting possible growth opportunities for yourself and your business. Whether you are networking at small business conferences, industry trade shows or various types of events in between, it's important to present yourself professionally and confidently.

联网工作现在已经是成长中的小公司的一大支柱。如果你没有走出来去和同行业中的客户、同龄人及领导们进行交流，那么你会限制你和公司发展的空间。你是否进行网上小公司会议、行业贸易展示或者各种不同形式的项目，这对于提高你的专业性还有自信心非常重要。

Are you networking successfully? Well, if you make any of these five networking mistakes, chances are you are not making the best first impression.

你的网络社交成功吗？恩，如果你犯过下面五种中的任何一种错误，你就没有办法带给别人最好的第一印象了。

1. Not Having Business Cards

没有商务名片

We may be in the technology era where we never leave home without our smartphones and spend more time with our devices than other people, but that doesn't mean virtual business cards have replaced traditional ones. Sure, there are a myriad⁴ of apps out there that provide an alternative way to share contact information while networking, but that doesn't mean paper business cardshave lost their value.

我们已经在科技时代，没有办法在外面离开手机太久，也花费了更多的时间在手机而不是其他人身上，但是并不意味着虚拟商务名片已经完全取代了传统的。当然，有无数的app软件出现并提供可选的方式在网上分享联系信息，但是并不意外这纸质的商务名片已经丢失了他们的价值。

Trading physical business cards while networkingcan be a powerful touchpoint that can amplify⁵ your first impression. Plus, business cards are still expected and treated as the norm in many professional settings. Not to mention an effective business card can be a powerful part of your brand that makes your business memorable⁶.

传统的商务名片在网络上可以产生强有力的触点来放大你的第一印象。并且，商务名片是相当专业和礼貌的官方专业装备。商务名片的作用不仅仅是影响力，它也可以成为你的品牌的强有力的一部分，并彰显你的工作。

2. Using DIY Business Cards

使用定制的商务名片

While not having any business cards to hand out is a major networking mistake, having uNPRofessional business cards that you created yourself is even worse. Just because you can buy perforated business card paper that works in your printer does not mean you should. Even if your design skills are up to par¹, it is almost always obvious when a business card was not printed professionally.

没有办法提供任何商务名片是一个主要的网络交际错误，拥有非专业的商务名片会让你自己变得更糟糕。你能购买制作商务名片的纸并不意味着你要用它来制作。即使你的定制手艺已经达到标准级别，打印出来的名片也是很容易被看出不专业。

Business cards are very affordable⁷, and there are many services that provide design templates and even custom design services for a reasonable fee, so there is no reason to print your own business cards.

商务名片并不贵，也有很多的优质服务项目可以提供设计模板还有合理价位的设计服务，所以没有必要自己打印自己的商务名片。

3. Forgetting About Your Elevator Pitch

忘掉你的电梯游说

Networking is all about getting your business in front of people that matter, but networking situations can often be a lot like speed dating. When there are a lot of people at an event who are interested in making the rounds to meet as many people as possible, you will have a very brief period of time to introduce yourself and make a great first impression. This is why you absolutely must have an elevator pitch.

网络是可以让你的业务展现在人们面前的，但是网络会面更多时候像闪电约会那样。当很多人在会议中时，尽可能的让所有感兴趣的人看到，做一个简短的自我介绍还有营造出良好的第一印象。这就是为什么你一定需要电梯游说词。

An elevator pitch is one- to two-minute speech that provides a succinct⁸ overview⁹ of your business, products or services. The goal is to introduce yourself and your business quickly in a way that is both engaging and memorable. If you don't have one, you should write your elevator pitch today.

一段电梯游说词是一到两分钟的演讲，可以快速而简短的介绍你的公司的业务，产品或服务。这个目的是为了介绍你还有你的业务吸引人以及令人印象深刻。如果你没有的话，你应该现在就开始写你的电梯游说词。

4. Only Talking to People You Know

只让你认识的人知道

Remember in high school how we all tended to stick with our groups, rarely venturing into other cliques¹⁰? Sticking with what we knew may have helped us survive the teenage years, but it makes for very inefficient¹¹ profession

记得在高中的时候我们都是怎么挑选自己的小组，且极少加入到其他的团队的呢？挑选我们所知道的可能可以帮助我们在年轻时幸存下来，但是这会让我们的效率低下。

5. Neglecting to Follow Up

忽略后续事情

While the actual event is the part of networking that usually consumes most of our time and energy, successful networking doesn't end there. In fact, it's what happens after an event that can determine the success of your networking efforts. If you don't follow up with new contacts you meet during the event, you and your business will probably be quickly forgotten. Whether you follow up by phone, through email or by adding people you met as connections on LinkedIn, an appropriatefollow up process after networking is vital.

当真实的会议已经成为网络的一部分时，经常会消耗我们的大部分时间和精力，成功的网络社交不会止步于此。事实上，往往是在会议后发生的事情可以决定你的网络努力成果。如果你并没有跟踪新的在会议中的联系人，你和你的业务将会被很快的遗忘掉。是否要用手机来练习，通过邮件或把人加到你的领英账户里，一个合适的网络后跟踪程序是很重要的。

Keep in mind that networking can take many forms -- local events, national conferences, one-on-one meet ups and even online groups and communities. Being open to many kinds of networking opportunities can make the difference between sustained business growth and stagnation¹².

记住网络可以有很多种类--当地会议，全国性会议，一对一面谈甚至线上团体和社区。很多种网络机会的开放可以让公司的成长和停滞发生改变。