I have a friend who recently accepted a job as a pharmaceutical sales representative. She just came back from a week-long sales training event and was one of the more successful individuals in terms of standing out to management. When I asked her how she did it, she shared a couple of tips.

While many of the reps went out for drinks after the day's session, she stayed in and got a good night's sleep. She then hit the gym at 5:30 am only to discover both her sales director and the VP of sales working out in the gym at the same time.

"I began to talk to them during my workout, and they got to know me on a personal level. Plus, they saw my dedication by showing up in the gym every morning. It was definitely worth my time," explained my friend.

With The PPAI Expo around the corner, what are your networking priorities? Try these tips for making an impression at the trade show that will catch other people's interest and make you memorable.

1. Be different. One thing that makes us remember something is when we experience a pattern interruption; this means anything that goes against a pattern of common occurrence. For instance, say you are in a room with a bunch of people who are all wearing black suits. You'll be remembered if you wear a white suit. This idea can be applied to networking, too. People will not only remember you if you interrupt the patterns, or norms of your industry, but they'll also be drawn to you.

2. Ask questions. The easiest way to connect with somebody is to show curiosity about them. This might tie into the first point because, unfortunately, curiosity surprises people. In a world where we like to talk about ourselves, our own businesses and what we bring to the table, it's refreshing, memorable and completely compelling to talk to somebody who would rather talk about you.

And the best way to demonstrate this desire to know more about who you're talking to is by asking questions.

Before your next event, sit down and make a list of some questions that are different from the standard questions everybody asks. This will help you go deeper and get more telling answers, which will help you bond with whomever you're talking to.

For example, instead of asking "how are you?" ask "what is inspiring you these days?" or "what is your biggest business challenge?"

3. Avoid the magnets. At every event, there are magnets—people who others seem drawn to, like a moth to a light. Sometimes, others are drawn to the magnets because they are loud, or command attention, or seem powerful. Sometimes they are the well-known leaders. But instead of following the crowd and spending your time at these events trying to chat with the magnets, look for others who are sticking to the sidelines and strike up a conversation with them. You'll be able to form deeper relationships with those people than you will with the person everybody is vying for attention from, and chances are they'll have a lot more to offer, too.

4. Don't attend with friends. This is a big blunder that many new networkers make. It may feel a bit more comfortable to go to an event with a friend, but you are far more likely to stick by their side and just chat with them which completely negates the whole point of your attendance at the event. Furthermore, people won't feel as comfortable approaching you (or your friend) because they'll feel as if they are intruding on a conversation.

Do yourself a favor and leave the friend time for before or after your event, and fly solo during the show or conference.

Source: RelatE is an online destination for service providers to educate themselves on how to start, manage and grow their business. RelatE is sponsored by Schedulicity—a leader in online appointment scheduling, which allows millions of consumers to discover and book local services, while giving service providers the time and resources to care for their customers.