Start Networking Today
Start Networking Today
Networking isn't about getting business on the spot, it's about developing relationships that will lead to business, directly or indirectly, down the road. Networking almost always requires the long-term approach.
But how do you begin?
Joining a "networking group" can be an intimidating step, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some basics to get you started.
•Make time and do it. "Someday" and "later" have a way of never happening.
•Be prepared with something to say. Know what the big news story is, the key sports results, and have a positive or thoughtful comment.
•Be prepared to introduce yourself in 15-20 seconds. Without stumbling. This is usually called the "elevator speech." Make it interesting. If it's boring to say, it's boring to hear.
•Carry business cards and have them easily accessible.....
•....But don't offer indiscriminately them at the beginning of a conversation! It's far better to chat for a while, to know someone about the person, and then to ask for his or her business card.
What if, horror of horrors, they don't reciprocate and ask for yours? Not a problem. Send them one when you follow up after the event.
•When someone offers you a business card, look at it before you put it away. A card is our tangible persona. Notice it, accord it due respect, and then carefully put it away.
•Pay attention to the conversation. Don't be one of the "power networkers" always looking over the shoulder of your conversational companion, looking for someone more interesting.
•Listen. Really listen. When your companion is talking, that's your signal to listen to what they're saying, not to be composing your witty rejoinder. Listening is the antidote for nervousness, especially for introverts, because your entire focus is on the speaker - and his focus is on himself, too!
•Think about how you can help the person you're talking with. Make a contact, offer a lead, or just ask how you might recognize a terrific potential client/customer for her.
•Don't assume someone you're talking to can't help you. A conversation may not lead directly to business, but you have no idea who that person may know or where they'll end up next.
•Set your intentions before you go (i.e., I will leave with 3 business cards of people I plan to contact again). And aim for quality over quantity.
•Follow up afterward.
If you use these tactics, your first networking meeting will be a successful and, perhaps, even an enjoyable event that will encourage you to keep coming back.
Start Networking Today - To learn more about this author, visit Julie Fleming-Brown's Website.
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Most folks know that networking is a key to success. We want and need to know people with whom we do business, and most of us enjoy meeting new people for our social circle as well. No "networking" event is, in and of itself, worthwhile. It's what happens afterward that makes the difference.
Networking isn't about getting business on the spot, it's about developing relationships that will lead to business, directly or indirectly, down the road. Networking almost always requires the long-term approach.
But how do you begin?
Joining a "networking group" can be an intimidating step, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some basics to get you started.
•Make time and do it. "Someday" and "later" have a way of never happening.
•Be prepared with something to say. Know what the big news story is, the key sports results, and have a positive or thoughtful comment.
•Be prepared to introduce yourself in 15-20 seconds. Without stumbling. This is usually called the "elevator speech." Make it interesting. If it's boring to say, it's boring to hear.
•Carry business cards and have them easily accessible.....
•....But don't offer indiscriminately them at the beginning of a conversation! It's far better to chat for a while, to know someone about the person, and then to ask for his or her business card.
What if, horror of horrors, they don't reciprocate and ask for yours? Not a problem. Send them one when you follow up after the event.
•When someone offers you a business card, look at it before you put it away. A card is our tangible persona. Notice it, accord it due respect, and then carefully put it away.
•Pay attention to the conversation. Don't be one of the "power networkers" always looking over the shoulder of your conversational companion, looking for someone more interesting.
•Listen. Really listen. When your companion is talking, that's your signal to listen to what they're saying, not to be composing your witty rejoinder. Listening is the antidote for nervousness, especially for introverts, because your entire focus is on the speaker - and his focus is on himself, too!
•Think about how you can help the person you're talking with. Make a contact, offer a lead, or just ask how you might recognize a terrific potential client/customer for her.
•Don't assume someone you're talking to can't help you. A conversation may not lead directly to business, but you have no idea who that person may know or where they'll end up next.
•Set your intentions before you go (i.e., I will leave with 3 business cards of people I plan to contact again). And aim for quality over quantity.
•Follow up afterward.
If you use these tactics, your first networking meeting will be a successful and, perhaps, even an enjoyable event that will encourage you to keep coming back.
Start Networking Today - To learn more about this author, visit Julie Fleming-Brown's Website.
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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