Follow Up

Sharing information — whether a website, article, report or phone number — with new contacts builds your credibility, says Sarikas. So if you promised to e-mail a report to someone you met on the plane, make sure you do that.

"When you do what you've said you were going to do, it gives the other person the impression that you keep your word," she says. If you don't, you're just another schmoozer.

Get Over Your Fear of Rejection

In the course of networking, you'll encounter people who can't or don't want to help you . That's life, says Sarikas. Don't take it personally and don't dwell on it. It's all part of the process.

Take Risks

When you overcome your fear of rejection, it'll be easier to make cold calls and strike up conversations with strangers.

"The person sitting next to you at a banquet or on an airplane may be feeling as uncomfortable as you are and will appreciate you breaking the ice," says Sarikas. "They just might be a fabulous contact for you or know the right person for you to talk to." You just won't know until you try.

See a Shrink

If you can't open up to people, you'll never be able to network. And if you absolutely can not overcome your shyness on your own, Ferrazzi recommends seeing a therapist who can help you understand why you're so shy and give you the tools to change.

"Your ability to be intimate with others is the core of networking," says Ferrazzi. "Shy people know at their core that they're lonely and long for more intimacy. They just don't have the courage and the confidence to achieve it."