| 5 KEYS TO MORE EFFECTIVE NETWORKING |
| Networking can certainly help get you more business. But the process is not automatic—you have to take the right approach. Since the goal is to acquire clients and referral partners, you may think you should show up at networking events all primed to sell, sell, sell! That’s actually the wrong approach. Here’s the right way to look at networking. It’s not about transactions—it’s about relationships. What you want to accomplish at a networking event is to make strong connections with individuals, so they’ll remember who you are when you follow up with them. You want them to be interested in meeting with you again. If you show up at a networking event in sales mode, people won’t want to meet later because they know it’s just going to be a pitch. |
| Don’t worry about being interesting—be interested instead. |
| Networking isn’t about you. It’s about being interested in and discovering what other people are doing. This is especially important when networking with someone who is more successful than you. Learning about what other people do is a great way to start a relationship. And remember, if you ask for business before there’s any semblance of a relationship, it’s less likely you’ll get it. |
| Focus on learning who you can help. |
| Finding ways you can help someone is the foundation of a good relationship. Learn about the other person’s challenges, explore shared interests, and people will be eager to meet with you after the networking event. |
| Pay attention to quality, not quantity. |
| The quality of your network is way more important than its size. Building a powerful network you can draw on doesn’t come from seeing how many business cards you can collect. It comes from finding out about the people you meet, so you can help them, so they can help you. |
| Become a leader in a group you’re active in. |
| If you want to really stand out in a networking group, volunteer for a leadership position. When you’re helping to run a group you attend, you automatically get lots more exposure. Of course, once you’ve developed a relationship with someone, do let them know you’d like to do business with them. Also, be sure not to leave the group once you’ve stepped down from your leadership role. That just looks like you took the job for the business opportunity, not because you wanted to give something back to the group. The credibility you gain from your leadership role should remain a secondary benefit. |
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