Your personal branding secret weapon is networking. Don’t forget that to get a copy of my book From Unknown To Expert (http://www.UnknownToExpert.com) where I go into detail about developing your personal brand, networking and how you can go from unknown to expert to increase sales, win more referrals and get more exposure with the people that matter to you.

1. W W W . U N K N O W N T O E X P E R T. C O M
CATRIONA POLLARD
A U T H O R , F R O M U N K N O W N T O E X P E R T

2. 1. SIMPLY SAY HELLO
It can be as easy as: “Hello, I’m [name],
what’s your business (or what do you do)?”
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3. 2. TOP HEADLINES
News is always a good excuse to chat to someone new, so pick a few of the
top headlines from the day and ask, “I heard/read about [insert news item] on
the way here today. What do you think about it?”
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4. 3. COMPLIMENT
“Love your shoes!” Who doesn’t love a
compliment? It’s fairly easy to find
something you like about another
person, whether it’s their outfit, shoes,
tie, handbag, a book you see poking out
of their briefcase... And this something is
another great conversation starter.
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5. 4. ASK ADVICE
People love being asked for their expert advice. Take note of the organisations on
everyone’s name tags and start a conversation with someone whose industry you can
ask a question about easily.
For example, if you identify someone in training and professional development, “I work
in HR for a superannuation company and we use personality testing as part of our
recruitment process. Do you have different training methods for different personalities
in your workforce?”
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6. 5. MAKE A JOKE
If you’re comfortable as the funny guy or girl why not break the ice with a joke?
Try something along the lines of: “Can you believe they let me in here dressed
like this?” or “I always come to these things for the cute triangle sandwiches.
What about you?”
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7. 6. CHAT ABOUT THE EVENT
A big event like a conference can be
overwhelming, but an easy way to
meet new people is to chat about
the program, a speaker you like
or the event facilities.
An great way to get this
conversation started is to ask:
“My head is overloaded with great
information from today; what
gem has resonated with you?”
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8. 7. ADD TO A CONVERSATION
Numbers can provide safety. If you see a group of people chatting
and you think you’d prefer the buffer of more than one person,
add to their conversation by mentioning an example to illustrate the speaker’s
point, or throw in a comment about something relevant that you read earlier
that day and then introduce yourself.
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9. 8. SAY HI TO PEOPLE
ON THEIR OWN
If you see someone on their own, think of it as the
perfect opportunity to say “hi”, ask them how they
are and introduce yourself. It can be as easy as that.
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10. Discover the networking secrets Catriona Pollard
used to skyrocket her personal brand……
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE
NETWORKING RESOURCE GUIDE TODAY!
bit.ly/networkingresource

11. FROM UNKNOWNTO EXPERT: Use the proven UnknownTo Expert 5 Star
System to grow your profile, expand your influence and increase your income
by becoming a recognised expert in your field using clever PR and social
media strategies. Buy the book at www.UnknownToExpert.com
UNKNOWNTO EXPERT ACCELERATION PACK:Accelerate your success
today! Get your additional powerful and valuable content which will
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WWW.UNKNOWNTOEXPERT.COM

12. Catriona is the founder and director of CP Communications, a well-
respected and innovative PR and social media agency, which merges
traditional PR methodologies with cutting-edge social media strategies.
Her transformation to an international speaker, popular media
commentator and leader of a highly successfulAgency has been
captured in her book, From UnknownTo Expert.
Catriona is renowned for being an inspiring presenter that shares
practical skills and expertise so attendees can immediately implement
what they've learnt to see real results.
www.cpcommunications.com.au | info@cpcommunications.com.au | P 02 9460 9200
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