No sooner is the Thanksgiving turkey digested when the Holiday Party Season begins. Many dread the often hectic schedule of December, as seemingly every company and organization hosts a lunch or cocktail party for their customers, clients, prospects, employees, suppliers, members and friends.

It’s true that this annual ritual of party hopping can add inches to your waistline while stealing precious hours of downtime. But it can also be a great time to meet new people and solidify your existing business relationships. While part of you may wish to hide behind the craziness of your own year-end work and personal schedule and avoid this revelry altogether, staying away from holiday soirees is a networking mistake.

People do business with people they know and like; you need to take advantage of holiday get-togethers to build closer relationships with others in your business community or industry. Think of it this way; when someone invites you to a holiday gathering they are announcing that they like you. When you make the effort to attend their event you are returning the gesture.

A lot of time, effort and money are invested by those who host holiday parties, and having the right mix of attendees is crucial to their success. Do not fool yourself into thinking that they will not notice who attends. They not only know who supports them by showing up, they will likely remember it the next time you need their help. And remember that most of these parties are a lot of fun!

To maximize your holiday networking effort, here are five tips:

1. Always RSVP if you are invited to an event. If you have a conflict that prevents you from attending, let the host know. Never respond that you will be attending the party unless you are certain that you actually will attend. The catering bill is decided based on a guaranteed number that the company must provide a week in advance. Often the per-person food cost for a corporate holiday party is over $25. When you RSVP that you will be in attendance and then skip out, you can be sure that the host paid more for their party than necessary.

2. When you arrive at the event, first seek out the person who invited you and other employees of the host organization. While chatting with them be sure to thank them for including you as a guest at their party. Many companies are very proud of their holiday parties, and having someone express gratitude goes a long way. It takes no time to say "thank you," and it will make you stand out from the majority of people who come just to eat and drink and talk to friends.

3. Take advantage of the festive attitude of the holiday season and introduce yourself to new people at gatherings. Do not solely spend your time with those whom you already know. Have conversation starters ready – a list of questions that will draw people out and allow you to discover mutual connections. Conversation starters can address both professional and personal topics; for example "What are your company’s biggest challenges going into the new year?" or "How are you and your family spending the holidays?"

4. Do not drink too much! The lure of the delicious food and free flowing spirits can get your "inner party kid" rocking, but you need to remember that you are at a business event and a representative of your company. Every holiday season there are stories floating around of someone who made a spectacle of themselves by over indulging at an event. Don’t let this be you!

5. In the days following a holiday party, take the time to follow up with a note to the people that you met and suggest next steps for getting to know them and their business better. No matter how good of a conversation you had at the party, that alone is not enough to make them part of your network. One meeting makes them an acquaintance. You need a stronger relationship if you want them as true friend or colleague. Additionally, take the extra step of sending a thank you note to your host. You will stand out, as most who attended the party will not take the time to do so!

Happy Holidays and Happy Networking!

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