Some people dread it and others enjoy it. Some people thrive in social settings while others fear having conversations with complete strangers. The fact of the matter is that in business, it really isn’t all about what you know but who, and excelling at networking is one of the great skills everyone should have. It’s essential and something that all employees and business owners can engage in. The fastest way to success is through making new connections.
At SDSI, one of our goals is to continuously provide our members with opportunities to build new relationships which result in business growth.. As not everyone is good at or even comfortable networking, we have a few tips that you can try out at our next networking event.
1) REMEMBER names: A lot of people excel at meeting someone for the first time and forgetting their name 30 seconds later. A couple of tricks include repeating their name to yourself a few times; use their name three times in the course of the conversation; associate them with another person you know who has the same name and last, ALWAYS, when your conversation ends, address the person by their name.
2) Always HAVE business cards: Never leave your office or home without them. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to finally meet someone you have been wanting to do business with only to discover that you don’t have your contact information on hand to exchange. Not only is it important to bring your cards, but bring enough of them. Alternatively, if you prefer to save a tree, there are some great services where you can share your information virtually, like through texting and bonus, you may just get that hard to get mobile number.
3) Be PREPARED. One of the big reasons people get anxious when networking is because they don’t know what to talk about or like me, everyone asks the same first few questions… “what do you do?”. All great conversations do start with basic questions but I like to keep them more general, even at industry events. Ask questions like “how do you spend most of your time?”, This allows the other person the opportunity to answer either about their career or their personal time and has led to some of the most interesting conversations how did you get into your field, what are your biggest challenges and successes to date? The right conversation will certainly enhance your image.
Before an industry specific event, spend time researching news and trends taking place in your space so you’ll be able to contribute to conversations or use your knowledge as a conversation starter. In addition, check to see if the event has a Twitter hashtag. If they do, start a search column and watch the conversations taking place around the event.
4) Be a GREAT Listener: The people who are the most highly regarded are not those who speak, but are those who LISTEN. People like to talk about the things that interest them so ask those types of questions, listen to their answers and by repeating back the last few words that they use, you put the ball right back in their court to keep the conversation flowing. However, also make sure that you are keeping up with their body language and mood, if they start to look bored or distracted, know that it is time to graciously end the conversation and move on.
5) REVIEW attendees lists: I like knowing who my fellow attendees will be, and I always research the companies ahead of time so that I am informed and prepared. There are different ways to try to get the list starting with asking the host. Be honest, explain that you want to study up on who will be there so that you are prepared to network strategically. Don’t be disappointed if you only get names and companies, use the event to collect emails and phone numbers. Also, more and more organizations are using social media sites like Facebook and Linked In. Many times the guest lists can be viewed online and you can scope out who will be there.
6) FOLLOW UP: Once an SDSI event concludes, the team and I go through the business cards we collect. We not only enter them into our contacts, but send follow up notes that include our contact information. (see tip #1). In addition, messages are tailored to include specific items discussed. This helps the recipient put a face to an email address. Also, don’t forget to connect on LinkedIn. If you forget to do this right away, you run the risk of this great contact not remembering who you are and thus not accepting your request to connect, some weeks down the road. FINALLY, I am a HUGE fan of setting up informational meeting over coffee or lunch. I cannot tell you how many of these have led to the next great deal.
Recently, Boostamonte Mountainboarding and Sports Insurance Solutions met at one of our networking events and are now doing some business together. It’s these success stories that reinforce the importance of networking. At SDSI, we provide a platform for companies to gather and make new connections that then lead to more and more successes.
For more information on all the upcoming SDSI events, including our next networking event in March, visit our website or contact Renne Catalano at RCatalano@Connect.org.
