How can you avoid coming across as aggressive when networking at a trade show?

Focus on active listening and approachability. Greet visitors warmly, maintain open body language, and show genuine interest in their needs. Ask open-ended questions to understand their challenges and tailor your responses to their specific situation. Avoid dominating the conversation or using high-pressure tactics. Instead, build rapport by finding common ground and sharing relevant stories or experiences. Offer helpful solutions without pushing for an immediate sale. Follow up with personalized messages, showing appreciation for their time and interest. Remember, a friendly, consultative approach fosters lasting relationships and trust.

My answer to prevent from coming off aggressive is be open, patient , kind, and know how valuable you are to the industry. Allow confidence to be your closer to reel them in for your product or service and don’t sweat the small stuff.

You're not just there to gain clients or customers. You're there for OTHER people to want YOU as a client or vendor. That means don't just show interest in what booth attendees are chatting with you about, BE interested. Ask questions and listen. Don't just be thinking about what you're going to say next or how to get your pitch in. That will come. Building a relationship is just as important as your pitch. Getting to know someone and later giving them a call where they actually remember you - that's a feat especially for the follow up! Oh I remember you Jane Smith - how bout them Eagles! Great game the other day! THEN get down to business. People can do business with different companies - they do business with you because of YOU. Listen.

To be a valued and accepted member of a network, think about the value you can add such as connecting people, helping and offering help, advising. Over time, this builds trust.

My best advice: Be yourself. While you are there to discuss business, human connections are formed via common interests. Ask questions and don't be afraid to talk about something other than work to warm up the conversation. People will do business with those they know, like and trust!

The human heart can sense just as well as your other senses. If you don’t want to come across as aggressive stay calm and centered. Strangers will sense the peace you possess and will not be threatened or feel you are aggressive. And don’t forget to smile!

Rule of thumb? Just don’t be a d**k. You’re at an industry networking event with your peers and someone you don’t know gets in your face and interrupts a conversation you were having and then starts to give you a pitch - how would you like it? Exactly. If you want to get to know someone during a networking event and you get an opportunity to talk, ask questions about them, look for some common ground (interests/contacts), listen and try and converse normally. Tell them what you do, if they ask, but don’t pitch (unless invited to). Be memorable for the right reasons.