Im often asked for some key things networkers do on a consistent basis to make their networking work. This week we are going to look at the ten things top networkers do when networking to get the best results from their networking activities.
1: Have your networking tools with you at all times.
The first of our activites is to have the tools you need to network with you at all times. This is the foundation of all that follows. All successful business people have the ‘tools of the trade.’ Notable Networkers’tools include
- Business cards
- Your calendar
- Mobile phone
- Pen.
2: Set a goal for the number of people you’ll meet
Some people go to a meeting with only one goal in mind: the time they plan to leave! To get the most out of a networking event, set a goal regarding the number of quality connections you want to make . Don’t leave until you’ve met your goal.
3: Act like a host, not a guest
In her book, Skills for Success, Dr. Adele Scheele tells about a cocktail party where she met someone who was hesitant to introduce himself to total strangers. Dr. Scheele suggested that he “consider a different scenario for the evening. That is, consider himself the party’s host instead of its guest.” She asked him, if he were the host, wouldn’t he introduce himself to people he didn’t know and then introduce them to each other? Wouldn’t he make sure people knew where the food and drinks were? Wouldn’t he watch for lulls in conversations, or bring new people over to an already-formed small group?
Scheele’s new acquaintance acknowledged the obvious difference between the active role of the host and the passive role of the guest. A host is expected to do things for others, while a guest sits back and relaxes. Scheele concluded, “There was nothing to stop this man from playing the role of host even though he wasn’t the actual host.” There is nothing to stop you from being far more active when you’re with a large group of people, either.
Along this line, we recommend that you volunteer to be an Ambassador, or Visitor Host, at any networking groups you belong to. An Ambassador or Visitor Host is someone who greets all the visitors and introduces them to others. If you see visitors sitting, introduce yourself and ask if they would like to meet other members.
If there are many other visitors to meet, ask another member to help you by introducing the visitor to the rest of the membership so that you can get back to meeting new visitors. By using this technique, you’ll start to develop excellent networking skills and get great exposure to many business professionals in a short time.
4: Listen, and Ask the five “W” Questions: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
As Dale Carnegie advised, show genuine interest in the other person’s business. If you meet a printer, ask,“What kind of printing do you specialize in? Commercial? Four-colour? Instant? Copying? Where are you located? How long have you been in business?”
The answer to each of these questions gives you a better grasp of the individual and the type of work they do. Thus, you’re in a better position to refer them to others or invite them to different networking groups. Please make sure you do this in a relaxed conversational manner otherwise it could seem like you are conducting and interrogation!
5: Give a referral whenever possible.
Notable Networkers believe in the Givers Gain philosophy. If you don’t genuinely attempt to help the people you meet, then you are not networking. You need to be creative in this area.
Few of the people you meet for the first time at a business mixer are going to express a need for your product or service. That doesn’t mean you can’t give them something.
When you do meet someone that expresses a need, and you know someone that can satisfy that need, take advantage of the opportunity to recommend the people in your network that can help them. Please do not misinterpret this to mean that we are saying you should be trying to refer business to someone you just met. It would be dangerous to recommend someone you hardly know. You will be referring your new contact to someone already in your network that you know and trust so its important to protect this trust.
If you work hard at developing your skills, people will remember you in a positive way.
The larger your network, the better your chances of reaching out and calling upon resources you wouldn’t have access to otherwise. Most important, with this growth comes increased visibility, exposure, opportunity, and success.
6: Describe your product or service.
After you’ve learned what other people do, make sure to tell them what you do. Be specific but brief: use a ‘sharpshooter’ approach and avoid telling about everything you do. Whatever you do, don’t assume they know your business. Explain it to them if they seem interested.
Here is an example of a brief description that I use when introducing myself as part of Asentiv: “I help business owners achieve that tricky balance of having a successful business and a successful life.”
7: Exchange business cards with the people you meet.
If you are genuinely interested in the person you are talking to then ask them for two of their cards, one to pass on to someone else and one to keep for yourself. This sets the stage for networking to happen. Keep your cards in one pocket and put other people’s cards in the other pocket. This way, you won’t be fumbling around trying to find your cards while accidentally giving away somebody else’s card. What do you do with business cards you collect from people you meet at networking events such as business forums, breakfasts, and mixers? These cards can be instrumental in helping you remember people, initiate follow-ups, discover opportunities, and access information and resources.
Always review the cards for pertinent information. It is not always easy to determine what people do simply from their title or company name. Note whether the products and services offered by the company are listed orsummarized. If you’ve just received the card of a solicitor, check to see whether the card indicates a particular specialty. To demonstrate your interest, write the missing information you collect on the front of the card, in view of the other person.
8: Spend ten minutes or less with each person you meet and don’t linger with friends and associates
Recalling activity number 2, if your goal is to meet a given number of people, then you can’t spend too much time with any one person, no matter how interesting the conversation gets. Stay focused on making as many contacts as you can. When you meet people who are very interesting and with whom you want to spend more time, set up appointments with them. You can always meet later to continue the conversation.
Don’t try to close business deals while you’re networking—it’s impractical. Set a date to meet and discuss your product or service in an environment more conducive to doing business. You may be able to increase your business with hot prospects if you take the time to fully understand their needs.
Learn to leave conversations gracefully. Honesty is usually the best policy: tell them you need to connect with a few more people, sample the food, or get another drink. If you feel uncomfortable with that, exit like a host by introducing new acquaintances to someone you know. Better yet, if it seems appropriate, ask them to introduce you to people they know.
Above all, don’t linger with friends and associates! These are people you already know, and you’re there to meet people you don’t know.
9: Write comments on the backs of the business cards you collect.
This helps you remember more about the person when you follow up the next day. If you’re networking effectively you could speak with lots of people at an event, so it makes sense to make some notes either on the business card or on the notes section of your phone. Things you could write could include;
“. . . wants to visit a local weekly networking event,”
“. . . looking for a good printer,”
“. . . has friend moving out of the area and needs an estate agent,” or the most important one of all,
“. . . wants to set an appointment with me; call on Tuesday.”
If the individual doesn’t express a specific need, then write down something about him or her that you learned from the conversation, things relating to his or her responsibilities, contacts, interests, or hobbies. For example:
“. . . likes to back-pack,” “. . . knows Joe Smith from Birmingham.,” or“. . . supervises ten employees.”
Record anything you think may be useful in remembering the person more clearly. As you’ll see in our final point, the more information you have about the people you meet, the better your chances of a successful follow-up.
10: Follow up with the people you meet.
We’ve seen people spend untold hours in networking organizations, yet fail at networking because their follow- up was appalling. Remember, good follow-up is the lifeblood of networking. You can follow the previous nine activities religiously, but if you don’t follow up effectively, you’re wasting your time!
If you promise to get back to people, make sure you do. Even if you don’t promise, call them or drop them a line. If you follow up effectively, networking can be empowering.
The next time you have the opportunity to go to a gathering of professionals in a networking setting, keep these top ten networking activities in mind. I highly recommend that you keep a copy of this list of activities and keep it with you and the next time you go to a networking event and review the list before you go inside.
If you would like to find out more on how to develop key referral marketing strategies then why not download our free Networking Nuggets E-Book below.
https://merseyside.asentiv.com/networking-nuggets/
To your continued success
Dave