Networking can be a joyful experience ... or it can be a dreadful experience. And the difference between the joyful and the dreadful comes down to one major thing. Preparation.
Preparation is everything when it comes to having a great experience and for making a great impression when you are out networking.
How best to prepare? Here are a few tips that will get you started on the right track.
What do you want to accomplish? What are your goals or desired outcome for your time spent networking? Are you looking for referrals to grow your business? Are you looking for resources to help within your business? Are you focused on building goodwill with no immediate need now for yourself but with a focus on the future? Are you looking to be a resource of information for others? What you want to accomplish will have a lot to do with what it is that you say.
So, what are you going to say? What information do you want people to absorb from you? If you aren't sure what you want to say or get across to people ... they will not work extra hard to figure it out for you. When you know what your message is you can relax and enjoy being with other people and sharing the experience in an easy and flowing way. They will, in turn relax and enjoy learning about your business and isn't that what we all want?
Be clear in your communication and people will respond to you with interest and with questions. If you want people to hear your message and repeat it for you (word of mouth marketing), your message has to be remarkable, memorable, and repeatable. To do this, you have to get sticky. And, by that, I mean that your message has to stick in their mind.
You have got to take up some space in the mental rolodex of the people you meet. Now, granted that's a tall order for a one minute message which is what you normally get when you are out networking.
You can make this fun for yourself and others by finding an interesting hook or twist that makes you stand out and makes you stick in the mind of your audience.
Anne Lindsay is a photographer who specializes in black & white photography. She always wears one black shoe and one white shoe when she goes networking. It's fun and different. Sticky and memorable!
Get creative like Anne and the result will be more referrals for you because people remember you and what you do. More referrals is a very good thing!
If people are not interested in what you are saying, it might be that you are more focused on what's in it for yourself ... when what your audience really wants is for you to be focused on what's in it for them. This is one very easy change that you can make in your "talking points" that will change how people react to and remember you.
Make it all about them and I promise that you will find more people becoming interested in what you have to offer. And, more importantly, they will tell their friends about you as well.
And, please make sure to tell a story rather than telling a string of facts. People will remember a story long after it's been told. But they will forget most facts before you are even done talking!
Who are you planning to meet? A lot of people have a real comfort issue with this one. It is way easier to gravitate toward people that you already know when you attend an event. It is typically pretty uncomfortable for most people to spend time with people that they don't already know. Why is that? Well, we all want to feel important and appreciated. As my friend, Nancy Juetten, always says ... folks want to be seen, heard, and celebrated in their own backyard. And no one celebrates us quite like our family and friends do!
Strangers can be downright unappreciative of us for they don't yet know how grand we are. So we tend to stay where we are comfortable. And we miss out on many opportunities because of it.
Make it a point to meet at least 3 new people at every event you attend. Even better, if you can get a copy of the attendee list prior to an event, make a list of the 3 people that you would like to meet and then do a little research on them before the event. It's quite simple to Google a person by name to see if they have a website or a blog so you can be knowledgeable and complimentary to them when you meet them.
Talk about joyful. Most bloggers can't get their mom to read their blog. Imagine how happy someone would be to find out that you actually read their recent blog post and took the time to seek them out in person to compliment them on it. Go make someone's day! Easy to do with proper planning and preparation.
What are you going to wear? Whenever you are at a business function (and nearly all networking events are business functions) you are promoting your brand. And people are deciding based on all impressions of you whether or not they will do business with you or refer you to people that they know. Pay attention to your attire. Your clothing should be event appropriate and suitable for business. Your image will leave a mark either way, so why not make the effort to leave a great, professional, and lasting impression. One that is likely to get you the kind of attention you desire and the referrals that you deserve.
What are you going to take with you to the event? This is so basic it should be apparent. At a minimum, you should have your business cards and a pen with you at all times when you are networking.
And finally, where are you going and what time does the event begin. You'll find more enjoyment for yourself and much less stress when you plan ahead to arrive early. So take a moment the day before the event, make sure you know where it is and when it is. And then plan to leave 20 minutes earlier than you think you really need to. If you arrive early, you can help by volunteering and that will be a great boost to your visibility.
Most people don't plan to fail at networking ... they just fail to plan. You can easily make your networking time enjoyable for yourself and for those around you when you make time in your day to plan ahead for the events you will be attending.
And the joyful part of this is that you'll be more relaxed, friendly, and approachable which in turn makes it easier for people to feel comfortable with you. When they feel comfortable, they are more likely to grow to know, like, and trust you ... which leads to referrals ... which leads to more business for you. It's all good stuff!
The Joy of Networking to you ... and happy connecting!
Learn more about the author, Zita Gustin.
Great article Zita - this is good stuff to know. A lot of what you wrote was the basics - and it's always good to review the basics from time to time to refresh our memories. And I picked up a few extra tidbits from this article as well.
Keep up the great writing! Peg
Thanks, Peg. You are so right. Much of this is very basic. And that's the beauty of it. Networking is really about being friendly and interested in others. It's all about being "real" and approachable. And most of this we all learned in kindergarden. I'm hopeful that people will remember how easy it is!
Zita,
I love you idea of conveying a message that is "sticky." The largest benefits of networking are soliciting an army of people that want to represent you through word-of-mouth, far beyond what you can do on your own. It is a powerful multiplier. And being sticky is so far beyond representing the facts as you bring to life.
You also talk about being relaxed and enjoy being with other people once you have down what you are going to say. That also breeds confidence. And we are all seeking leaders in their particular specialty that can answer the questions that we don't know how to answer ourselves. Confidence in your message delivery is key to confidence in representing and/or hiring you.
Thanks for the tremendous insights.
Steve
Hi Steve,
You are so right about the army of people spreading the word far and wide. I call it your walking talking billboards and it is the same concept. One thing that I wish more people understood because too many try to sell TO the room rather than through the room. Teaching the folks that you spend time with about your business is a lot less pressure on everyone involved and like you said, word of mouth is a powerful multiplier! And the sticky part is like being that song that you can't get out of your head. My goal is for everyone to learn how to become that song.
Thank you for your thoughtful post here and I'm sure we'll talk again very soon!
Zita
Zita, I've been guilty in the past of wearing the basic business uniform, but this summer has shown me that people really notice what you wear and how it relates to your business.
A new client told me she wanted to work with me because she saw me wearing orange both times we met at a networking event and knew I "must be energetic and innovative to wear such a color." She wanted energy and innovation for her business. Isn't that interesting? No more boring black for me!
Betsy ...
You are so right, people really do notice and they notice it quickly and form opinions in a matter of seconds. Congrats on your new client!
You always look great in orange! Which, by the way, is my favorite color just for the reason you mention ... it is so energetic.
Thanks for visiting!
Thank you Zita for another well written article packed with useful and time tested approaches to making the most of every connection. I especially like the comments about finding ways to be "sticky." That black shoe/white shoe example is priceless.
I actually met someone in Dallas at a networking event who recognized me from the back because of my signature peacock blue dress.
By the way, Steve MacDonald would be an engaging speaker on the power of branding at a future eWomenNetwork event. He and I have worked together for a few years, and he is smart, strategic, and insightful. I hope the two of you connect.
Nancy,
Thanks for your comments! I love that someone recognized you because of your signature attire. That's branding in action! You were there the day we shot this photo of me which has become my "brand" and so many people recognize me because of it.
I agree about Anne Lindsay's white shoe/black shoe stickiness. I first met her about 5 years ago and never once have I wondered "what does Anne do?" she owns that territory in my mental rolodex for sure!
You are sticky as well. Your tag line, "get seen, heard, and celebrated in your own backyard ... and beyond!" takes up a great portion of mental real estate in my head.
Thanks for the suggestion on having Steve MacDonald speak, I'll chat with him about that.
Nancy,
This is a great article. I love the fact that you're educating us about the basics of networking but also the attitude that is needed to be successful. Too many times I have people come up to me and immediately go into their elevator pitch. I like the fact that you said it's all about them, not you. Over time I believe businesses will start to realize this.
I think another important concept in networking is "listening". I was at the Bellevue Chamber Buzz Networking Breakfast and we all had a chance to speak up for 1 minute and educate our table about our businesses. I noticed everytime someone was speaking, the others were not listening, not making eye contact, and basically thinking about what they were going to say.
The only way to build relationships, get educated, or do good prospecting at these events is through the art of listening.
Thanks for sharing this great article, I received a lot of value from it.
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your comments. You are so right that listening is a skill that many have not developed.
Again, it all goes back to preparation. If folks are prepared BEFORE they arrive at an event with well thought out talking points, they can then relax in knowing that when it is their turn to talk they already know what to say. This, then, allows them to be fully present with whoever IS talking and they can truly listen to what is being said.
Too many times, people are flying by the seat of their pants and trying to figure out what they are going to say ... while another person is talking. This is distracting and counterproductive. It is very difficult to connect with people while you are disconnected and running lines in your head.
This is why I teach my clients to be prepared and to think these things through ahead of time so that they can be fully present. I believe it is the best present that you can give to others and to yourself!
Networking really is about having conversations with folks. It is not about pitching or selling or desperation. And having talking points is not the same as launching into an elevator pitch .. but that's another article!
Thank you for your comments and I'm glad that you found value here.
I'm hoping it's not too late to chime in here, Zita. What outstanding advice. We can always count on you to "hit the nail on the head."
I particularly like your "remarkable, memorable, repeatable." As a longtime copywriter, I have seen the power of words that paint a picture, and descriptions that appeal to the senses. (I just wrote a blog post on multi-sensory marketing.)
I like to begin the description of our biz with, "Because getting information from the Internet is like trying to drink from a fire hose." I can usually see people squinting, like they are picturing that and really thinking about it.
Your tips are excellent. Thanks for being so generous with them.
Judy,
I love that visual and you are so right! Every day I feel like I am drinking from a firehose AND I practically live on the internet ... so I can just about imagine what it is like for folks who aren't as active or techno savvy!
That's a sticky image and it will help people to remember you ... so good for you for coming up with a visual that invites people to join you and frame you in a picture of your choosing!
It's my great pleasure to share my knowledge!
Excellent article, Zita. I'm still a newcomer to the world of business and have been networking less than 2 years. I remember how nervous I was at first.
Learning how to prepare really does make networking a joyful experience. Your suggestion to read the blogs of people you want to meet is priceless--it gives you something to say and the effect is amazing.
I love your emphasis on being prepared with your own story, so that you can really focus and listen to other people with full attention.
Zita, I love your tip to read someone's blog ahead of time before you meet them. I have learned so much from my Mom, who is the Queen of Social Networking. She is always asking me for the email addresses and blogs of my friends, and then she reads their blogs and follows up with comments! They are touched by her sincere concern and interest and have now struck up correspondence with her completely separate from me. Now, when I need the latest scoop from all of my friends, I just check with mom :-)
@Paula - for a newcomer ... you sure are an excellent networker! What I love about you, Paula is that you are always looking for ways to be of service or helpful to others - you set an wonderful example.
Thank you for your comments!
@Andrea - How cool is that? Your mom sounds like a neat lady. So many of us who do blog often wonder if we are like the tree falling in the forest ... does anybody hear us? I'm glad that you (and your mom) make a point of visiting your friends blogs.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story!
Zita,
What a great article. Like Paula, I'm a newbie to networking. But it is easier when you know who will be there, know who you want to meet (and yes, three is about the right number) and know what you want to ask them about themselves.
Thanks for reminding us all.
Hi Betsy,
Thank you for your comments. I'm so proud of the folks who are claiming to be new to networking who are all doing so well! You are another one who networks like and old pro!
Thank you Zita for the great tips.
I'm curious, what are your post-networking event tips? What are your best practices for all the business cards you collect?
Zita, what an amazing article. I loved the black shoe/white shoe story, and the idea of getting sticky was very helpful and insightful. You're so right about it being intimidating sometimes walking into a crowd of people you don't know, and gravitating to the people you do know. I'll be working on getting out of my comfort zone, and maybe looking for some new shoes!
Keep up the great writing Zita!
@Lindy, I am actually working on creating some videos to help explain different aspects of networking. I have created a survey that you can take that will help me to know what ideas people would like to have more info on. You can visit my website at www.thesavvynetworker.com and click on the tab that says Networking Survey if you would like to participate and then be on the list for the info after the videos are completed. Many of the videos will be available at no charge as my way of giving back to the community.
Thank you for stopping by!
@Ilana - I'm glad that you liked the article. And, I know that you will be just fine as you step out of your comfort zone. Remember, there are many other people stepping out of their comfort zones as well so if you just focus on making other people feel comfortable with you ... they won't even know that you have stepped out - they'll actually think that you are totally cool with networking! Thank you for sharing!
Zita, Your article has so many valuable suggestions that I think go overlooked. "Being prepared and feeling comfortable" so I can in turn help others be comfortable is very helpful. I tend to feel shy in a room of 100 plus women. I greatly appreciate how your article teaches me qualities of networking that no one else has done with depth and quality. I am excited for your new video project.
Zita: I enjoy it. I like forming relationships and think networking is a great opportunity to do that. I don't always look forward to every event and sometimes I take a break but I tell myself I need to go because you never know. Perhaps I'll change my tune someday but for now I don't mind the social interaction one bit!
Paul
@Barbara, Hi there! You are so right about when you are comfortable (because you are prepared) you can help others to feel comfortable as well. And really, that 's what we all want. We want to enjoy spending time with other folks and learning about who they are and what they do in a relaxed, low stress, low pressure environment. I'm so glad that you are able to foster that for yourself and for others.
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello!
@Paul, Hi Paul. Building relationships is what networking is all about, as you mentioned. Sometimes, we end up not looking forward to an event because we really don't know why we are going. It can be a group that we may not feel comfortable in ... or it may be a group that doesn't really fit our needs. If you are not going because you don't enjoy it, you might want to look for a different group to network with. Most groups allow you to attend up to 2 times before they require that you join.
A lot of the time, people stop going to networking events because they feel like they aren't getting anything out of their efforts. This is probably not the case with you... but for those who are thinking along those lines, I would like to suggest that they spend some time educating themselves about the way networking truly works. A great book is Endless Referrals by Bob Burg. He focuses on the spirit of "giving" rather than the idea of getting. Every successful networker that I know, spends way more time on the giving aspects and they hardly ever concern themselves with what they are getting. And that's because they already know that the networking karma will provide for them in magical and mysterious ways.
Thanks for your comments Paul!
Zita
Zita, thank you again for sharing these important fundamentals for networking. Whether someone is brand new or a seasoned veteran these tips will prove to be invaluable in developing themselves in their business.
Zita, great tips! We are trying to grow Biznik in Spokane and are planning our second event--next week! I would like to reference your article and maybe even a quote or two. Thanks! Katie
@Debbie - Welcome back! Thank you for your comment and thank you for stopping by!
@Katie - Absolutely, please do use this article and if you would like more tips and pointers, you are welcome to also use the info from some of my previous articles which I think you can view if you click on my face which will take you to my page here on Biznik. I appreciate your kindness in sharing my articles with those who can benefit!
Great article. You have all created a wealth of feedback and bring up solid points. I feel it is very important for those considering joining a business referral group to also reach inside and figure out what their objectives and goals are. By setting a standard or benchmark for success, one is more likely to understand their return on investment.
I invite anyone looking for a solid group or forming one to check our site out. I won't type in the URL out of respect for the posting section, but check out my profile if necessary.
Keep up the great work and cheers to success!
Thank you for posting Matt. You bring up an interesting topic of Return on Investment.
What I've learned in my years of being involved with fabulous networkers is that the ROI that they focus on the most is the Return on Involvement.
Great networkers realize that the time they spend building relationships with others cannot be structured into a flow chart and the returns can not be measured person by person. The giving mentality surpasses the getting mentality time after time.
When you give to another person out of generosity and the spirit of building relationships your returns will come back in ways that you least expect and from sources that weren't even involved in the initial transaction.
While it does make sense to be aware of the results you are generating through your efforts, I do believe that focusing in on just the bottom line ROI of return on investment causes many folks to be more focused on the destination than on the journey.
In my experience, people who want to know what they are going to get out of a relationship before they've spent the time to build one ... are setting themselves up for disappointment.
Hi Zita,
Thank you for another great article - thought provoking and well written! I too am a proponent of "planning". When someone takes time to set intentions for what they want, create a plan of action to help them achieve their goals and block out time (enough time!) to ensure that they can execute their plan, their chances of success skyrocket. This definitely applies to networking.
Pre and post network time is almost as important as time spent in a networking event. I love your advice to arrive early. I see too many people rushing in at the last minute, stressed because they were late. Arriving a little early allows you to take a few deep breaths, revew your intentions for the event, and then to walk in with a clear head, ready to go. Post networking follow up is super important too. I try to block out an hour in my office after an event to write a "nice to meet you" note, call someone I committed to calling at the event, forward an article I thought that person might be interested in, or simply enter new contacts into my database so I can be in touch at a later time.
Thanks again Zita for being such a Savvy Networker yourself, for providing valuable reminders and thoughtful tips and for being a super connector yourself!
Wonderful article, Zita. I happen to love networking and meeting new people. The point that challenged me is to have a hook that really sticks with those people.
Here's a question for all of you. We're a small, but award-winning book design firm of three young women. What makes us stand out, beyond the design skill, is our personal attention. We're fun and approachable, yet professional. What's most appropriate to wear when speaking and/or working our booth -- TLC Graphics apparel or business causal wear? Thank you for your expertise! Tami
@Debbie, You are so right! The # one disconnect for people at events is that they come in stressed out from the journey to get to the event and they bring their drama with them into the room. This creates a lasting impression ... and not necessarily the one that they were hoping to achieve.
When folks gift themselves an extra 20 to 30 minutes to arrive on time (or before), they also get the reward of being in the room early to position themselves to work their plan with ease, comfort, and flow. Please note that I did not say "work the room." There is a huge difference between working your plan and working the room. (And that would be a whole 'nuther article!)
From my birds eye view, the most relaxed and friendly people are the ones who arrive early. And guess who attracts more happy and friendly people ...
Thank you for bringing up these points Debbie. I'm sure that your expertise in planning and organizing your clients spills over into your networking skills!
Tamara,
Thank you for your question. Here on Biznik you may get a variety of answers to your question and there will be many who will disagree with me ... so take what makes sense to you and go with it.
When you are working a trade booth, you are a walking, talking billboard for your company. You are the front line experience for people who do not yet know you or your company.
People make snap judgements and decisions based on visuals all the time. If you design book covers, you would know this from your experience in that regard. The cover of a book can be the catalyst for phenomenal sales .... and it can also be the death bell toll as well. Even though people will say, "You can't judge a book by it's cover" many folks do just that.
I don't think that it is beneficial to your business to gamble with the first impression that you will be making with potential customers - and so I always recommend to dress professionally. I'm not saying "stuffy," I'm just saying dress professionally.
If you are all 3 going to be present in the booth, I would recommend one of you be in a structured suit jacket (to appeal to those that want to deal with business professionals) and 1 or 2 of you could be in your logo'd attire. That way, you'll appeal to a broader market and more people will feel comfortable stopping to chat with you.
If only 1 person is working the booth, you could have on slacks with a shell and a sweater (that has a logo on it) which isn't as formal as a suit but still gives the impression of being professional.
I would NEVER wear jeans to a business event. The only exception to that would be a company picnic where everyone is dressed in casual attire.
With regard to what to wear when you speak, it will depend on where you are speaking... and who your audience is.
Darcey Howard is a personal stylist here in Seattle and she is a member of Biznik. I highly recommend that you check out her profile and contact her for her input on this topic as well.
I hope that helps!
Thank you Zita. This is great information! I am forwarding it on to a friend.
Great stuff Zita. I would add under what you wear, be careful of how much Jewelry you wear. Large diamonds, flashy braclets and necklesses, etc. can be a real turnoff and sometimes conveys the wrong image.
Rich
Zita, Great review of the basics for ensuring an effective networking outcome. Great article! Sherri Edwards
Hmm. I think it's in the attitude more than the planning. I love networking; I hardly ever plan for it.
I don't really think of it as "networking". I think of it as "meeting cool people and having interesting conversations". That is, I'm there to be there. Not for what it will get me. And what have I gotten? Friends! Genuine connection and community. Clients, customers, sure. But that's not why I do it. I do it because I enjoy being around these people.
I've run across people who were clearly prepared, clearly had a goal of "networking", but they weren't really there. They were thinking of their goal, not about just being a human, chatting with other humans, seeing what we are all up to and supporting each other.
I'd much rather have a conversation with someone who just wants to have a conversation with me than someone who has scoped me out and prepared themselves for it, or waiting for the right time to tell me their prepared story. It's like over-preparing for a date. Better to just go and be yourself. IMHO. If planning is part of who you are, then sure, do it. If it's not - maybe try just going and enjoying yourself?
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Great article Zita,
Your right on with your title. And with all that your saying.
In fact, as you know, most people don't really have a joyful experience of this thing called networking.
Keep up the good work.
Ron Sukenick
Thanks, Zita, for the great reminders. Being purposeful and prepared definitely make a difference in both the pleasure and the outcome of networking events.
Nancy Grant
Zita, thanks, for the great summation. It’s nice to be reminded of why we’re networking in the first place! Knowing why you’re there in the first place is always helpful. And being prepared for that specific meeting (or any really) ALWAYS makes the difference.
Thanks again, Shawn Hooper Highland Creations
Interesting read...
The comments others leave are an extra bonus...
Thanks to all...
~Patricia K. DomainBELL.com
Great article Zita.
My message to folks is always to simply Show Up.
This article is an awesome expression of HOW to show up, with good details, great points. I'm especially grateful for your reminder to tell a story instead of string of facts that will soon be forgotten. A good reminder!
The posts from other Biznik members in this thread show that you showed up with real food for thought.
Thanks!
Robert Allen
Zita,
You are the best at teaching people to network, hands down. I took that Networking 101 class of yours when I joined eWomen, and now I'm reading Sandra Yancey's book, "Relationship Networking." I can proudly say that I learned all this from you! Not only that, but I find myself networking in the strangest places...I sat down at a coffee shop the other day only to find that I was next to a barefoot farrier, and we were in the middle of Santa Monica! The odds of that happening are slim to none, but I'm finding that the more comfortable I am talking to the people around me, wherever I am, the more people I find that I need to network with.
Thanks for doing what you do best!
I have to admit just a few years ago, I really hated talking to people and never networked. Now I am working to do it habitually, and as you say, being prepared is essential. I have cursed myself for not having 'elevator speeches' on hand several times when I was in a new group of people.
THank you, that was very interesting and helpful.
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