The holidays are full of holiday parties just waiting to be turned into networking opportunities. Today sales trainer Renee Walkup shows you how!

Last evening I attended an incredibly fun networking event, disguised as a holiday party. The invitations went out early. There were no typos regarding the date, the time, or the address. Not only that, the event looked like loads of fun. The only sentence that made me ponder was this: This is not a business event. Please do not solicit new clients.

I paused and thought about that sentence. After all, wasn't half of the intent to network and make business contacts? The other half was to let our hair down and have some fun. Then I invited my networking and all-around-event-buddy.

I sent her the invitation with a note: "Amy, do you want to go to this with me?" She replied: "Renee, it looks great. But what do they mean by 'Do not solicit new clients?' Isn't this a networking thing?"

After arriving and grabbing a bite, I saw business cards being passed all over the place. It was like a feeding frenzy of fun, food and...you got it...networking!

Now, what about your parties this month? Do you want to do some double dipping fun and networking? Here are a few tips to get you started:

First, survey the room and approach someone who seems like you in terms of personality, age, attire, etc. Find the person you'll have something in common with to immediately put you at ease. If this takes a few minutes after arriving - so be it. You'll find this a valuable networking tool in all situations because people do business with people who are like them.

Next, open the conversation with a question such as: what brought you to the event, how do you know the hosts, and other connection topics that break the ice, and get your new contacts talking.

Also, avoid mundane or controversial topics such as the weather, politics, and religion. Think of creative topics to ask about before attending the event, so that when you meet someone new, there's interesting and stimulating conversation.

How about practicing active listening skills in the conversation? Make good eye contact, avoid distractions, and listen to the deeper meanings while your new contact talks. You will learn more than expected if you just pay closer attention and focus on the individual - not on who else is walking into the room.

Last, send a hand-written follow-up note telling the person how much you enjoyed meeting them, and if possible, include something slightly personal in the note to differentiate that this new contact made a positive impression on you. If this is a good networking prospect for you, invite him or her to lunch, coffee, breakfast, or even another event!

Renee Walkup is president of SalesPEAK, a national sales performance company, as well as a well-recognized keynote speaker, sales coach, and author, with a 25-year background in sales, sales team management and training. Learn more at www.salespeak.com

The SalesDog blog will be quiet tomorrow and Friday as we take time off to relax and celebrate the holidays with our families. Best wishes to you and yours!