Your Stellar Networking Breakthroughs Guide:
Congratulations, you've advanced to your networking launch sequence!
There's no need to go back and check your email - the goods are conveniently located right here for you...
As you being to move closer to your mission to networks you may notice you don't have a strong enough supercharge to sustain you through a lift-off and mission. Let's begin!
Lift-Off Activities:
Proven Preparations Tips for a Networking Event/Opportunity
Today, most networking opportunities have a site or event explanation for you to learn about other attendees. One of the most overlooked strategies is to review the attendee list and reach out to (unfamiliar) individuals prior to the meeting. Why? It helps to beak the ice and swiftly advances the small talk.
Why is small talk necessary?
All relationships begin with a “hello” and someone initiating the conversation. Networking begins with small talk.
What is the purpose of small talk?
- Finding someone’s sweet spot so they talk a little more.
- To find the common bond for you to take the relationship further.
Unfortunately, most people aren’t trained in how to make small talk convert into powerful conversations that continue into fuller conversations. Usually people are too busy speaking about themselves or trying to find openings in the conversation to speak about themselves that they miss the golden opportunity to learn about people to advance the relationship.
Preparing for lift-off implies you are prepared to succinctly speak of yourself and your business. It also implies you have business cards or whatever you need to continue the conversation further.
NOTE: Going to an event without having cards demonstrates you aren’t organized, prepared, or it may reveal you don’t see other people as important. Bring business cards. I prefer to have a digital business card; however, I still have a card incase people still want to do business contacts old-school.
If it’s a business event, dress appropriately and be well groomed.
The last thing you do to prepare yourself is to have a concise fashion to introduce yourself in less than a minute.
Flight Mission Activities:
Stellar Networking Conversation Tips & Examples
The main objective when networking is to meet the right people. Sometimes you must kiss many frogs to find the right ones. It’s pretty common for people to not understand what to do or how to communicate effectively.
First:
Don’t try to be the most interesting person in the room! Instead, find something interesting about the people you are speaking with. This isn’t difficult If you learn how to master small talk. Look at the examples below. Are us asking better questions or “vanilla” questions which won’t help someone remember you?
Don’t try to be the most interesting person in the room! Instead, find something interesting about the people you are speaking with. This isn’t difficult If you learn how to master small talk. Look at the examples below. Are us asking better questions or “vanilla” questions which won’t help someone remember you?
Memorable Networking Questions:
Source: http://ideas.ted.com/2014/07/28/how-to-turn-small-talk-into-smart-conversation/
| Instead of . . . | Try… |
| “How are you?” “How was your day?” “Where are you from?” “What do you do?” “What line of work are you in?” “What’s your name?” “How was your weekend?” “What’s up?” “Would you like some wine?” “How long have you been living here?” | “What’s your story?” “What did you do today?” “What’s the strangest thing about where you grew up?” “What’s the most interesting thing that happened at work today?” “How’d you end up in your line of work?” “What does your name mean? What would you like it to mean?” “What was the best part of your weekend?” “What are you looking forward to this week?” “Who do you think is the luckiest person in this room?” “What does this house remind you of?” “If you could teleport by blinking your eyes, where would you go right now?” |
Second:
Arrive just prior to the event beginning. This way you have a chance to meet people as they arrive.
Third:
Look for people who are on the outskirts of the room or alone. Introduce yourself to them. They will never forget you because you “saved” them from being alone.
Fourth:
Remember, you don’t need to monopolize anyone’s time. They want to meet many people. Have your conversation and respectfully move on.
Fifth:
If there is alcohol involved with the networking event, do not have more than two drinks. You want to make sure you’re representing you and your business well.
NOTE:
When networking, meeting only a few people who are a great fit is better than meeting a room full of no ones!
Post-Flight Activities:
Powerful Follow Up Activities to Shine Brightly
Being a good networker is great, but the real focus is what do you do after you meet with someone? Most people do nothing. That’s not a good plan.
If you invest your resources to be at a networking event, participate fully! This implies you return back to work and you start making reach out to everyone you just met. Don’t put their cards in a pile or the trash. You never know when you may need to get ahold of someone.
The best thing to do is convert the information on the business card into a software/app system and schedule your follow up conversations with people you thought were a good fit.
NOTE:
The follow up is where the gold is!!!!! This is when you can have a more personal conversation. I refer to these as Discovery Conversations. It really is for you and the other person to discover what is essential to support and/or refer others to each other.
The Discovery Conversation also provides information as to how to proceed with others. Do you want to engage with them regularly or not at all? It’s important to remember that even though people may not initially be a good fit for you, they may be connected to the people you are looking for as customers. Take the time to explore.
Once you know how you should proceed with individuals, get them into a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) to schedule when and what you’d like to do next. Doing this prevents you from neglecting relations.
Often, plenty of money is left on the table because these follow-ups weren’t completed. Don’t let this be you!
In the book, “Brilliant Breakthroughs for the Small Business Owner -Vol 3” I address how networking shouldn’t be viewed as transactional. People know when they are being like a commodity. Networking and the follow-ups should be relational. Take the time to build good relationships and your business will become sustainable.
Remember:
Humans must experiment with other humans to assure success. Once you are building good relationships your visibility, good will, and trust will elevate in your marketplace. Ultimately, people buy from other people when they have enough trust in one another.
Thank you for allowing me to share this over-simplified Networking Breakthrough Guide. If you only do these things in the Guide, you’ll be light-years ahead of others. Within a week we’ll send you an email from Brilliant Breakthroughs, Inc. to continue your stellar networking.
May you shine brightly, Maggie
