In
the Spring of my adolescence, when those around me transformed into social
butterflies, I remained in my reclusive cocoon. I guess you could say I'm a contradiction, an anti-social marketer. So as part of my coined "Better
Plan" which is just my general life plan to, well, do better, I decided to
look up some networking tips that might ease the stress of walking into a room
of strangers.
For those of you attending
your first networking event to those veterans who may not be winning the war,
please enjoy these "10 Tips for Successful Business Networking"
written by Stephanie
Speisman from Business Know-How.
Effective
business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust
and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one
another.
- Keep in
mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building
trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.
- Ask
yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that
you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some
meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering
rather than on strictly making business connections.
- Visit
as many groups as possible that spark your interest. Notice
the tone and attitude of the group. Do the people sound supportive of one
another? Does the leadership appear competent? Many groups will allow you to
visit two times before joining.
- Hold
volunteer positions in organizations. This is a great way to stay
visible and give back to groups that have helped you.
- Ask
open-ended questions in networking conversations. This
means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those
that can be answered with a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up
the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.
- Become
known as a powerful resource for others. When you are known as a
strong resource, people remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names
of other people, etc. This keeps you visible to them.
- Have a
clear understanding of what you do and why, for whom, and what makes your doing
it special or different from others doing the same thing. In
order to get referrals, you must first have a clear understanding of what you
do that you can easily articulate to others.
- Be able
to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you. Too
often people in conversations ask, "How may I help you?" and no
immediate answer comes to mind.
- Follow
through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When
people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor
that and your referrals will grow.
- Call
those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa.
Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and
share ideas.
Resource: Stephanie Speisman. Business Know-How. www.strategiesforchange.com
Look effective I wanna try this tips in my business.. :)
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