| | Networking Tips | | | | 5 Tips For Networking Effectively to Achieve Business Growth | | | | By Jeanne Kolenda | | | Networking is an opportunity to get out of your routine, attend an event where you can meet new people, have some fun, AND grow your business. You don't even have to be an extrovert or a "people person" to make this happen. You just have to be intentional. You'd think that effective networking would be common sense, but here are some tips I have for you to make the most of your networking experience.
First, find the very best networking opportunities in your area. It may be a Chamber of Commerce event, maybe a networking club, or any other social event where you can wrangle an invitation. While you are there, keep in mind that every person you meet knows an average of 250 other people. So, if you connect with just five people, you are potentially coming into contact with more than 1,250 new people.
Here are my best tips:
| | |  | Listen More Than You Talk
- Don't make it all about you. I know you've been at a networking event and someone starts conversing with you and you're stuck listening to his or her life story and you can't get a word in, even to say "Excuse me - gotta go." You don't want to be guilty of this. Be a good listener. Ask questions. Here are a couple good questions: 1) How did you choose your line of work? 2) Who would be a good referral for you? Don't ask a lot of personal questions on this first encounter. |
| | | | Save Your 60-second Elevator Speech for Another Time
- I know we've all been trained to spout this 60 second elevator speech. After all, we've worked hard to develop it and why shouldn't we use it, right? But there is another tactic that works better at a networking event. So if someone asks what you do, give a response that will provoke another question - "How do you do that?" For instance, if you're a lawn care specialist, and someone asks what you do, instead of saying just that, say "I beautify homes and create peaceful surroundings." Of course, the other person will say, "How do you do that?" and away you'll go - on to a great conversation about how you do that. |
|
| | | | | | Chapter Meetings |  | Every Wednesday from 6.45am to 8.30am |
| | | Why not Join In? | | | | Phone Maura on (087) 236 8634 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| | | | Ask For Business Cards, But Don't Have Yours Out First
- When you've talked for a few minutes with a new friend, ask for his business card if it seems appropriate to do so. Jot down a few notes on the card and ask the month and day of his birthday. Of course, this will be a surprise, as it's not a typical question. Imagine how much more this person will be surprised when you send a card on that next birthday. |
| | | | Always Introduce Yourself
- Never assume someone will remember your name from having met you previously. It will save the embarrassment of having to ask you. Don't monopolize someone's time, and don't interrupt the flow of a conversation among other people. If you want to join in, just walk up and wait to be acknowledged and introduce yourself. Always look for opportunities to introduce other new people to the folks that you know. |
| | | | Follow Up
- Don't just go back to work or home and throw the pile of business cards on your desk. Have a plan for follow up; otherwise, you've wasted your time. Make sure the follow up is something other than email. You'll be remembered far longer for your snail mail personally written note. If you can think of someone else who would benefit from knowing this person, be a connector. You could include a business card of a potential new contact in with the personal note. (This is a good reason to ask for more than one business card when you're at the networking event - they come in handy!) Add your new contact to your contact manager software and make a note of that birthday that you jotted down when chatting. |
| | | | | | |
|
| | | We welcome all visitors! | | | We meet every Wednesday morning from 6.45 to 8.30am in Bewleys Hotel, on the N32 near Dublin Airport.
Why not visit us in the Airport Chapter at one of our regular weekly meetings? | | | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
