Sue Cartwright

Social Media Marketing Consultant, Coach and Speaker
Worcester, Worcestershire United Kingdom

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Let's Connect - How to be a Networking Superstar!

Conversations and comments represent the life blood of social networking. It's not enough to expect people to turn up and start talking. We have to make the first move and follow through every time to become real networking superstars.

Written Jan 19, 2010, read 3730 times since then.

I think it would be fair to say that connections, discussions, comments and interactions are the life blood of social media networking. It’s not enough to set up a whole bunch of sites and wait for people to turn up. No matter how beautiful your layout, presentation and content, without reaching out to people and enticing them to come along, no one is going to just 'show up' for your party.

It goes without saying that we need to invite people to join us, read our content, click on our links and make the valued contributions we are hoping for. We need visitors and we need them to stay for a while to absorb our offerings and tell us what they think. It’s not an easy task when we’re starting out, there’s so much for people to choose from and so little time for us to make an impression.

So, how do we get those visitors to find us and take part, how do we get people to engage with what we are doing and what we have on offer? For sure, it’s not going to happen sitting at our PCs and laptops all day long, certainly not in the beginning anyway.

A certain amount of engagement will come from picking up the phone and talking to people but the best resource for establishing a flow of traffic is the hands-on stuff, the face-to-face interactions we have with real people. It means getting out there and doing the ground work at local events, seminars and networking meetings, it means making a regular contribution to what’s happening and showing people what we are made of and what we’re all about.

Being a newcomer to the Midlands just over three years ago, I’ve done a whole lot of networking. From Worcestershire through the Midlands, to Coventry, Leicestershire and beyond. It took a long time to build my network and I’d like to share what I’ve learned. Particularly when what may seem obvious in terms of what we should do is not generally the norm. My understanding is that by doing the obvious you really can stand out, you can be the one to connect and you can be the one to enjoy your new status as a networking superstar!

1) Research what's going on in the areas you want to meet people and attract new business. This is not necessarily going to happen on your doorstep so you need to spread your net far and wide.

2) Set up a schedule that fits with your existing and planned work activities. Choose breakfast meetings, evening meetings or drop in lunches and organise other meetings around them, it helps to keep travel costs down.

3) Be selective about larger events that are going to take up a half or whole day and cost you money – make sure they will provide useful learning opportunities, inspirational speakers and good attendance levels.

4) Design a clear and easy to read business card with just your contact information – the idea is to talk about what you do and not rely on the card to explain your business.

5) Sort out where you are going at least the night before, arrive early and be the last to leave – a chance to meet the organisers and offer a free talk at the next meeting which always tends to go down well.

6) Look for people that you feel attracted to, people you feel you might have a natural raporé with – you are more likely to want to keep in touch with them and more likely to build a relationship with them.

7) Concentrate on collecting their business card – ask them what they do and assume the role of ‘contactor’ – assume they won’t have the time or inclination to call you and make it your job to contact them, every time.

8) At the first opportunity after the event, transfer the information you have gathered into your database, phone, mailing lists – this will take time, especially if you have several networks but it will be worth it.

9) Make time for processing your contact information, plan for it and don’t let up - tomorrow will be filled with other essential jobs to do and you will put it to one side thinking ‘what of it’. Remember most people think like this and you want to be the exception, not the norm.

10) Send a personal email to each person you have met together with your various media site invitations – don’t spam the delegate list, it’s just not right and won’t be appreciated.

11) Finally, make sure you do what you’ve said you will do at the event or arrange a one-to-one meeting to get to know each other better over a coffee or make a note to follow up within a certain time scale.

Brief meetings with new people will soon go stale and be forgotten if you don’t follow up and follow up again later. One thing I have learned is that very few people actually do this so you can make all the difference, by doing these simple things. You can stand out and your efforts will be appreciated. Realise that the people you meet are more likely to be your next best referrer than your next best customer, so concentrate on being a remarkable networker and let’s connect!

Learn more about the author, Sue Cartwright.

Posted by Amy Wheeler, Maple Valley, Washington | Jan 20, 2010

Excellent article, Sue! I have the hardest time with 8, 9 and 10. I need to be reminded regularly. -- Amy
Posted by Arden Clise, Seattle, Washington | Jan 20, 2010

Great points Sue. It's so true that we must build relationships with people to grow our network. I like to send handwritten notes to people I've had a good connection with at networking events. I then will send articles they might enjoy or comment on their blog, posts, etc. It takes time, but like building any friendship it pays off in the end.

Well written article. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by Patricia Eslava Vessey, PCC..., Seattle, Washington | Jan 21, 2010

Wonderful article filled with practical information for building networking skills. Loved it. Thanks.
Posted by Mila Vladi, Mercer Island, Washington | Jan 21, 2010

You are right, Sue - it is not enough just to show up, hoping to be discovered by our future clients or meet that generous source of abundant referrals. If we want the networking work for us, we need to work it deliberately. Thank you for perfectly outlining the idea.
Posted by Sheryl Huber, Puyallup, Washington | Jan 21, 2010

This a great article. I love the part about it doesn't matter how beautiful your sites are if no one is looking at them. You must "invite" people to view them. Thanks - Sheryl
Posted by Darielle Archer, Seattle, Washington | Jan 21, 2010

Great article. Thanks for sharing what we need to do after we look beautiful on the web. It does us no good if no one shows up. Easy to understand step by step approach to inviting people to join us. Thanks
Posted by Reid Peterson, Boulder, Colorado | Jan 21, 2010

Good stuff! If you have any resources for an exceptional follow up protocol, I would be ever so grateful!
Posted by Sue Cartwright, Worcester, Worcestershire United Kingdom | Jan 21, 2010

Wow, I am honoured to receive such great replies, thank you! I have been networking and presenting talks for the last few days and yes, I still have my new contact information to process. But I wanted to respond to your kind comments first and think it's going to be a long night ... a most enjoyable one at that, this is what it's all about ...

Hi Amy - The discipline of processing new contact information is a hard one to master and I learned the hard way. I gathered a huge backlog and sometime last year I had to take a few days out to catch up. It did provide a good opportunity to re-connect and I was fortunate that most remembered me and appreciated the effort made. If you start with (2), being selective about who you connect with to start with, the task is less onerous and more enjoyable. Glad to have provided the gentle reminder that I think we all need from time to time.

Hi Arden - Sending handwritten notes to your new contacts is awesome! That makes you a networking gold star superstar. I am ashamed to say I only write handwritten notes at Christmas but I regularly write to my 7 year old niece. I love that she is being taught to write thank you letters and make cards with little heart stickers and drawings to 'cheer me up ' or say hello. She apparently adores to receive my letters addressed especially to her ... it makes for a very special relationship. Thank you for bringing that into the light, I will endeavour to do this a lot more.

Hi Patricia - Thank you for your kind comments and enthusiasm - fabulous! Turning practical ideas into regular habits is the key. My (darling) late Dad used to say: 'If you can turn a chore into a habit, it ceases to be a chore and becomes something that comes naturally and therefore a pleasant and enjoyable thing to do.' He taught me how to 'enjoy' washing up for example, once I'd got the hang of it and passed his exacting example of excellence, we used that time to chat and laugh together ... everyone loves me at a dinner party because I like doing the one thing everyone tries to avoid. Great kudos builder and something I always secretly thank him for.

Hi Mila - Isn't it always a question of 'adding value' wherever we can? It really came home to me when I was writing the article, it's often the most simple things, the most obvious yet often overlooked gestures, that add the most value. Thank you for highlighting the point, it's something we can all do and collectively what a powerful impact that can make on everyday lives.

Hi Sheryl - Inviting people to share is a really good approach ... we have to become the 'hostess with the mostest' to coin a rather corny but true phrase. A warm and welcoming invitation is often all that is needed to entice people to come on in and feel at home. And if we make sure it's a comfortable, worthwhile and enjoyable experience when they get there, then we really do have have a recipe for success.

Hi Darielle - I love the process of thinking things through and breaking everyday 'processes' into simple steps that others can follow. My background is staff survey analysis where benchmarking was a key factor. Formalise something that you prove in practice to work well and use it to monitor and improve your actions going forward ... if it's easy for someone else to understand, you know you're on the right track :)
Posted by Sue Cartwright, Worcester, Worcestershire United Kingdom | Jan 21, 2010

Hi Reid

I have just posted a comment on Stephanie Ward's article, They’re Interested, Now What?

You may find this extremely helpful (as I did) in terms of turning 'conversations' into a potential business relationships.

Thank you for your comment and I hope I have interpreted your question correctly.
Posted by Carolina Dursina, Spring Green, Wisconsin | Jan 22, 2010

Great post; thank you for the article!
Posted by Tony Aponte, Jacksonville, Florida | Jan 23, 2010

Thanks for this article. This is something I've been struggling with. It was very helpful. Thank you again.
Posted by Blase Ciabaton, Naples, Florida | Jan 25, 2010

Sue-terrific observations! Thank for taking the time to share them! Related to point #8, I recently purchased a CardScan. You can purchase them many places, but I got mine form www.amazon.com. It's a very efficient way to keep your database current-it's almost like having a personal assistant! As you mention in the conclusion of your post, I agree that TIMELY follow up is critical to maintain the connection. I also think that point #7 is critical in terms of collecting other's business cards-it puts you in control! I'm also a big fan of sending hand-written notes as Arden suggests. Thanks again! Blase
Posted by Sue Cartwright, Worcester, Worcestershire United Kingdom | Jan 25, 2010

Hi Blase

A pleasure to share my thoughts on this subject, particularly to remind myself and others that great networking, like anything else, is all about good methodology and management. I have heard about CardScan, a colleague of mine mentioned it to me and said it was a great time saver.

It's certainly on my list now and might encourage me to gather even more cards when I am networking. My problem is too much chatting with individuals I click with and not meeting as many people as I would like to. Something I am trying to improve!

I find specially printed postcards are a nice way to send a notes to my contacts. I love writing in ink and with your prompt (and Arden's) I will endeavour to do this more often.

Many thanks for such great suggestions!

Sue
Posted by Brett Lane, Colorado Springs, Colorado | Jan 26, 2010

Nice post. I agree that one must venture out to make greater connections online and in person. I make it a goal to meet at least 5 new people a day. Last year I set a goal to make 10,000 new viable connections via Linkedin and and hit 8,500. My main point in referring to my connections is that we can't let one day get away from us without reaching out to others. As a result of my activities I am now able to make myself a resource to people interested in social media marketing. I must give of myself first and then I will see benefits in the future. That's my mantra for 2010. Be a resource first and then good things will come!
Posted by Roxana Nunez, Sanford, Florida | Jan 28, 2010

Thanks Sue.

I really needed to be reminded of this as I am working on building my network and I have so many good connections gathered through the internet that I forget the human connection.

Roxana
Posted by Alastair Cartwright, Bristol United Kingdom | Jan 28, 2010

Absolutely brilliant. Need to read this before every event. Great work, many thanks.
Posted by Sue Cartwright, Worcester, Worcestershire United Kingdom | Jan 29, 2010

Hi Brett - Thank you and most impressed with your networking statistics. 8,500 viable connections is quite an achievement. No wonder you are such a valuable resource to those interested in social media marketing!

Hi Roxana - It's easy to become absorbed in one aspect of networking, especially when time is limited for attending local events. I am getting better at connecting with those I meet on the internet, we forget how easy it is to pick up the phone or send a personal email. Glad my article was useful for you.

Hi Al - Great to know I'm on the right track, praise indeed from a LinkedIn specialist with such an impressive following! Many thanks to you too.
Posted by Terra Paley, Los Angeles, California | Feb 06, 2010

Really good stuff! Thank you for such a complete article with a great roadmap.
Posted by Sue Cartwright, Worcester, Worcestershire United Kingdom | Feb 06, 2010

Thanks Terra - Great to know this has been useful. I love maps and you can probably tell, passionate about getting people to connect in a meaningful way. Your tag line is fantastic 'If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to get it!', expressing exactly what I mean when I say we each have to take on the role of 'connector' - assume others won't have the time and be remarkable by being the one to make time for real time communication. Great stuff!