Early introduction

Arrive early, as others will be more available and approachable with fewer people in the room. When everyone else shows up, you will already have met a few people.

Questioning

Approach the first person or group your eyes meet and offer a simple introduction but do not feel the need to dive too deeply into personal or professional details. Focus on the other person you are conversing with, asking them questions and listening rather than talking mostly about yourself. Exchange business cards after you have gained trust and use the connection meaningfully. You will find over time that the piles of business cards collected from networking events do not help if you never made a solid connection.

Meaningful follow-up

To keep the connection you make, be sure to follow-up. A suggestion is to send e-mails the day after the event, reminding the person of your conversation and give them new information, like examples of your work, especially if you are looking for a job. You can also ask to meet for coffee or lunch to continue your discussion.

Information from Forbes.com