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Aakash Patel Gives Networking Strategy Presentation at Bonefish Grill Carrollwood Luncheon

May 29, 2018

Aakash Patel, president of Elevate, Inc, revealed the methods and strategies that coined him Tampa Bay’s “Master Networker” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The presentation was held at Bonefish Grill Carrollwood with Carrollwood Area Business Association (CABA) and attracted professionals from a wide variety of industries. Attendees learned that networking is an art anyone can master and implement into their business; it’s a skill that should not be undermined or overlooked, especially in a city like Tampa. Strategic networking’s positive impact is worth the effort.

Aakash shared the Do’s and Dont’s of networking. Always having business cards on hand topped the Do list. Patel underscored the importance of working the room. Talking with as many new contacts as possible is key. A precise elevator pitch is essential. In order to make connections tangible, a follow up strategy is needed. Follow up with contacts within 24 hours and detail both the pleasure of meeting them and how your business can serve them. Logging new contacts in a spreadsheet promotes organization, and contacts’ names, contact information, and status of follow up should be included. If new contacts don’t reply within 24 hours, it’s important to reach out again.

Patel reminded participants not to underestimate the power of social media. Profiles should be complete. Sites like LinkedIn offer services to evaluate user profiles. Being affiliated with non-profits and charities opens opportunities for both online and face-to-face connections. Community service should be featured on a LinkedIn profile.  

Aakash closed by discussing networking mishaps. While confidence is a good attribute, humility is too. It’s important to share the talking space. Successful people don’t enter networking opporutunities blindly; have a strategy and set goals. Always research to get a sense of who else will attend specific events. Networking can lead to great success: use limited time wisely and meet as many people as possible.

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This post was written by Elevate, Inc.

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“Aakash Patel, Chris Melvin and the rest of the Elevate team simply delivered. The connections Aakash made led to valuable relationships for me and new clients for RevStar. You can’t fully appreciate what Elevate can do for your business until you experience it first hand. I personally recommend their services to anybody looking to grow their network and business within the Tampa Bay community.”

Ken Pomella, PMP – CEO, RevStar Consulting

“If you’re looking to dive into the who’s who of Tampa Bay, Elevate, Inc. is the only way to go. Elevate worked closely with Tampa Bay Plumbers to help us get our foot in the door with the right business and community circles to help us grow. We appreciated Aakash Patel & Chris Melvin’s professionalism, attention to detail, and willingness to go over and above to provide us a quality service. The contacts through Elevate are numerous and professionally beneficial and the staff is always available to us. We enjoyed working with the Elevate team and will definitely keep them in mind for our future business needs.”

April Diemer – Tampa Bay Plumbers

“Working with Aakash and his team at Elevate was a great fit for our growing organization. His team helped us connect with key influencers across the region and identify opportunities. Together you work to define your goals and who you’re targeting and through their connections and network they can make warm introductions to the decisions makers you need to connect with.”

Chon Nguyen – Founder & CEO, Newgentek

“Elevate, Inc’s. business relationship building process and their specialized one-on-one client service has opened doors and created potential opportunities that we wouldn’t have been able to create on our own. If your business would benefit from business relationship building introductions, I highly recommend Elevate, Inc.”

Gary LoDuca – Founder & Owner, Thoughtful Advisors – 401(k) Plan Designs

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