Tip 1 Attend relevant events - Go only to events that are likely to be attended by your target audience. If your target audience is small to medium businesses, don"t waste your time attending FTSE 250 events. You won"t meet the decision-makers you need to target, you will be better off attending a Chamber of Commerce networking event.
Tip 2 Meeting the right people - Networking is not about dishing out your business card to as many people as possible and then leaving. Ask the organisers who will be attending the event; get a list so you can pinpoint the people you would like to meet. Or ask the organisers in advance if you can sit on a table with the people you want to meet.
Tip 3 Networking is not selling - Once you know who you want to target at the event, just find them and have a chat with them. There is no need for a hard sell, just introduce yourself and listen to them and what they have to say. It is much more beneficial to find out about them, than to talk about yourself and your company. You never know what you might find out or who they might know. So, keep your mouth shut for the first few minutes and actively listen.
Tip 4 Finding referral partners - Networking is an ideal way to find companies that could be potential network or referral partners. For example, we have met many referral partners such as banks, solicitors and HR consultants who we are happy to refer and vice-versa. It"s not about getting referrals on the day, but about arranging to meet later to find out how you could be of mutual benefit.
Tip 5 Get training - If you feel nervous about networking, get some help. There are plenty of training courses that teach the basic skills you need to be an effective networker. To begin with, you can always attend with a colleague who is used to networking, but, over time, you must get used to going it alone.
Tip 6 Follow-up - If you meet someone you think could be a potential client or referral partner, send them an email or call them after the event to arrange to meet. This is a crucial element of networking and is key to developing relationships. However, this doesn"t mean getting the list of attendees from the organisers and sending out a blanket email; only follow up with the people you actually meet.
Tip 7 Be brave - What"s the worst that can happen? At least half of the attendees will be feeling just like you and would be extremely happy if you just went up to them and talked to them as they stood there alone with their back against the wall.
Tip 8 Be Generous - In his book Love is the Killer App - How to Win Business and Influence Friends, Tim Sanders points out that by being generous with your expertise, knowledge and contacts, you benefit more than if you hold back information and don"t share. The theory is that the more you give, the more you get back. And, as the well respected Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo, Tim says:
"Everyone in your address book is a potential partner for every person you meet, everyone can fit somewhere in your everexpanding business universe."
Tip 9 Picture the scene: You are at a networking event or a seminar. You get talking to someone and the inevitable question arises:
"What do you do?"
You reply:
"I am a marketing consultant." or "I run a marketing company." A real conversation stopper!
What about:
"I"m Joanne Morley, a marketing coach. I help businesses achieve their growth ambitions with effective marketing."
They might laugh, or look at you strangely, but do you see the difference? It"s all in the perception. A marketing consultant sounds boring, but a marketing coach - what is that all about? So, what do you do? You can use the following to help you
"I verb benefit"...for example...
"I help businesses expand by providing access to finance"
So take some time out and think about how you will describe yourself next time you attend a networking event
More networking tips ♦ Be genuine and relax, just be yourself when you are talking to people.
♦ Stand up straight, smile and maintain eye contact, look confident even if you don"t feel it, your physiological appearance can have an effect on your insides.
♦ Spend 10-12 minutes with one person so that you give yourself the opportunity to meet a few people at each event you attend. However make sure that you leave the conversation on a positive note,
"It"s been great chatting to you, I said I would meet up with a colleague here, so if I could take your business card I can give you a call and we can arrange to meet and carry on our discussion at a later date?" Etc etc
♦ Ask about other people before talking about yourself, show interest in what they have to say, you never know what you might find out.
♦ Don"t look over the persons shoulder when you are talking to them because you are looking for someone more interesting to talk to in the room.
♦ Don"t try to sell from the second you meet someone, just chat and when the time is right, tell them about yourself and what you do.
♦ If you meet someone interesting, don"t feel you have to stick with them for the whole event, just arrange to meet at a later date for a cup of coffee and a chat.
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