Tommy Mello is the owner of A1 Garage Door Repair, a ten million dollar per year company. He is the partner of Highest Cast Offer and a partner/owner in over 14 businesses. Follow him @_tommymello_.

Recently, YEC spoke with Tommy about his experiences networking and her advice for others aspiring to improve their own experience. His best advice is below.

Acknowledge the Power of People

Meet and network with as many people as possible. You don’t have to recreate the wheel. Just get great advice. Ten years ago, I met someone named Dustin through a mutual friend. He worked in the SEO realm. We are now partners in a successful lead generation company. The key is communication. You have to ask questions and make an effort. Remember, you have two ears and one mouth. Actively listen.

Seek Out Interesting Events

Don’t be shy. Shake hands with as many people as possible. Have a follow-up system. Email and post on social media the next day.

You can make solid business connections anywhere. I don’t believe there is a bad event. Find a way to stand out from the crowd and get noticed.

Automate What You Can

Automation is key. I would recommend Aweber and Infusionsoft. Make sure to get all information from prospectives: birthdays, anniversaries and addresses. You can sign up for a company called SendOutCards. They have APIs that will send out hand-written notes, which appears very professional.

Carry Materials That Matter

Nicknames are great. Have a business card that stands out from the rest. If you are going to hand out things like t-shirts or magnets, make them high quality so people will use them. Spend a little more to make them last. Don’t use cheap pens and things of that nature. They are a complete waste.