Business Best Practices
Networking- It’s A Love Hate Relationship
Feb 8, 2016
Networking – you either love it or hate it. It is a never-ending cycle of meeting new people, expanding your current contact list and building business relationships. It is also an opportunity to work on your sales skills in a “non-sales” setting. One of the main issues I’ve found with networking is that the act seems “forced” from some, and even though you may say all the right things, other business people are able to notice the ingenuity. Here are a few tips to follow to ensure you are making the most of your networking at these events.
- Be interested in their business, not your own agenda. You may have the greatest product or service in the world, yet your goal should be to learn about everyone else’s great product and service. A good rule I’ve made for myself is asking three questions to every statement you’ve said about yourself and your business. This shows you are interested in their business, and odds are they will return interest in yours.
- Shake hands and have your elevator speech ready. This may seem obvious, but it amazes me how many business owners are not ready to speak on what they do or produce. Having a firm handshake with eye contact is one of the best first impressions you can leave – including a clear and concise business plan will make you stand above the rest.
- Focus on the quality of contacts, not quantity. Making a quality connection is tough, and it makes it even harder if you’re constantly trying to move onto the next person. Take your time to get to know the person you’re talking to, their business, goals, plans for growth, and how you can possibly help.
- Do your homework. Who is putting on this networking event? What businesses will be there? Will there be key decision makers attending? These, along with many others, are great questions to answer before you decide to invest time or money into an event. Take a few minutes to pick out 2 or 3 attendees that you want to speak with, learn about them through LinkedIn or Facebook, and look for common interests or connections to start and keep the conversation flowing.
- Be a connector. You may notice the common theme of “giving, not receiving” – this is no different. People network to build their connections and building bridges between businesses is best done through these events. Your goal should be to connect as much as you can – this is not about you, it’s about helping others and becoming that “bridge builder” between businesses.
Making connections are important, but it is imperative that the people you meet feel that you took the time to get to know their business. If you take anything away from these tips, take this – be genuine and true to others when networking, and it will pay you back ten-fold. Best of luck with your networking efforts in 2016!
Readers, what’s your best networking tip?
