Networking is the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, as well as establish contact with potential partners, investors and more. Doing so, however, can be tricky, especially when you’re starting out.

As a new entrepreneur, it can be challenging to find the right time — or approach — to speak to someone you don’t know in order to let them know about what you represent and what you have to offer. After all, you have a dozen ideas in your head on what you’d like to talk about and only one real shot at making a good first impression. So should you focus on establishing your value and likeability, or is it better to develop your skills as an active listener? And what should you do after the event is finished, and everyone has gone home?

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To help get you started, six members of Young Entrepreneur Council, below, share their best networking tips for fellow entrepreneurs looking to build brand awareness or to win over potential partners, investors and customers. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Focus On ‘Know, Like And Trust’ Factor

You have to create the “know, like, and trust” factor within the first five minutes of meeting someone. Be interested in what the person is saying. Listen first. Then find a way in which you can help that person meet their objectives. It can be as simple as connecting to someone that helps them reach their goals.

2. Provide Value

There are three ways to provide value to someone. First, by providing them financial capital. Second, by helping them get distribution through awareness, whether that be an email list, podcast, shoutout or article, etc. Third, by providing them knowledge or expertise in an area where they are lacking. If you focus on providing someone value in one of those three ways, you can get their attention and do business.

3. Make It About Them

I always try to feel what resonates with the other person and make it all about him or her. It is not an easy skill to learn, but I feel it is the most effective. I think we all appreciate when we are working and someone just tries to connect to us in a human sense rather than selling us something. Try to find out what they like that is in a way related to your business and connect them to that.

4. Seek Out The Best In The Network

Ask, “who are the three most talented (engineers, sales, etc.) people in your network you think I should meet?” Building a startup is all about building a great team. I used to ask people if they had any recommendations for me on my open vice president of engineering role. I didn’t get many great hits. Now, I ask for the best three in their network. Everyone knows three people: It’s a founder’s job to win them.

5. Be An Active Listener

My best tip: Provide value to others to build lasting relationships. Allow others to speak first addressing topics of concerns. By listening, we can provide ideas, tips and advice that could potentially help their business based on our knowledge of expertise, thus giving us the opportunity to create a deeper connection and possibly gain business opportunities.

6. Follow Up

The potential quality of the relationship determines how often I follow up. It could be monthly, quarterly, etc. Following up is crucial to growing new relationships. I try to find common ground with people and set up an activity that we both enjoy. That could be wine tasting, surfing or sporting events, amongst other things.

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