Some business professionals use networking events as a last resort for new business — sometimes attending 3-5 events in a given week. Could you imagine meeting someone one week, then giving them your business or referring them to a friend the next? Probably not. Making connections that lead to new business doesn’t happen overnight. Developing meaningful relationships takes time, and shouldn’t be a last ditch effort for new business.
Effective networking doesn’t happen over night. Don’t worry if you felt like sulking in the corner at your first networking event, feeling too shy to approach a random stranger. For beginners, networking can seem scary, intimidating and could go against everything you thought was appropriate in social situations. Fear not. There are strategies, tips and tricks to help you network better and more effectively to make meaningful connections and ultimately get new business. At Sparxoo, we believe in networking and building social influence and have provided tips such as building a social network on Facebook and Twitter and here are a couple of tips to get your started:
First Impressions
Behavioral psychologists estimate it takes only a couple of seconds for others to pass judgement upon you, or “stereotype.” That means your window is very, very small to make a good first impression. It begins with appropriate dress. If it’s a formal event, wearing your high school khakis and an ill-fitting polo shirt says a lot about you: that you do not take care of the details, might be disorganized amongst other things. It’s about not only dressing to the occasion but looking good.
Here are some tips on body language:
- Always smile
- Give a firm handshake
- Tilt your head to demonstrate you’re listening
- Speak firmly and clearly, as networking events can be loud
At this point, you’ve already made a good impression and need to stay on a roll.
You’re Not a Used Car Salesman
Although your objective might be to obtain business referrals, giving your pitch from the get-go can seem self-centered and superficial. Your pitch should come naturally in the conversation, not be the starting point. The first step is to develop trust. That can be done by finding something, other than business, that you have in common. Do both of you like hockey, tennis or even old horror movies? This will help you construct a strong base for your relationship, on which you can build trust.
Think of Your Best Friend
Crack “inside” jokes with someone you’ve just met. That’s not what we mean by “think of them as your best friend.” When talking with individuals, have the enthusiasm, passion and compassionate tone you might have with your best friend. If they say, for instance, they lost a big client, then implore about what happened, how did they feel, share a similar experience if appropriate. Remember, you’re building a meaningful relationship with them and treating them with the same compassion and enthusiasm as a friend is a good next step.
Spend Quality Time with Quality People
It’s a tried and true sales technique. If your conversation is slogging along and neither of you are clicking, it’s time to move onto the next person. Politely say, “Well, it was nice to meet you, good luck on…” Conversely, it can be tempting to spend half the night chatting-up one person. Neither is going to be the best use of your time. Entrepreneur.com recommends spending no more than 10 minutes with each person. Then, after the event, making notes about the conversation with each individual on the back of the business card. This will help you with the next step, which is following up.
Have a Follow-Up System
When you were in high school, did it take one encounter to make you feel comfortable enough to bear your deepest secrets with your best friend? Let’s hope not for the sake of your friend. Relationships take time and work. The same is true for networking events. A day or two after the networking event, take a look through your cards and begin your follow-up emails. My Excel contact sheet has the following: name, company, industry, position, date I follow-up up, notes regarding where we left off, e-mail and whether you’ve connected with them on LinkedIn. We recommend following up 2 times, then adding them to a do not contact list if they haven’t responded.
Least Likely Places
Your first inclination might be to attend marketing events it you’re a marketer, or entrepreneur meetups if you’re an entrepreneur. In tough times, every other person at that marketing or entrepreneur event is also looking for new business. Not very productive. Attend events and participate in sports that are in-line with your hobbies or adjacent to your work. For instance, if you’re selling life insurance, you might want to go to an entrepreneur meet-up or golfing event.
Image by B S K from Stock.Xchng
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