Make the most of networking
Now that networking in person is becoming a reality again - how do you hone your skills and network successfully? Read about my 4Ps of successful networking…
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I’ve talked to a lot of friends and colleagues about networking. What have they done during lockdown - what has worked well, what hasn’t? During the pandemic, all my networking to date has been ‘virtual’ - zoom calls, Linked In, mastermind groups and online networking communities. I’ve picked up on a few schools of thought about joining formal networking groups:
Sign-up and see if you like it - but don’t join any that cost money
Choose a couple of groups that look like they will help you win business - and if you need to subscribe, go for it
Only network if you can attend events in person
Pre-pandemic I was very selective about what trade events or conferences I attended. It was always difficult to persuade a boss to pay for the entry and I wasn’t always convinced of the value. Was it a good use of my time to spend a day out of the office?
As it looks like meeting up in person is more of an option, I decided to do a bit of reflection and work out what I need to do to make the most of networking in 2022.
Here are my 4 Ps for successful networking.
Prepare:
Networking is an important activity and an investment of your time. You wouldn’t walk into a business meeting without preparing - networking is no different.
Work out who you want to talk to and why - what is your call to action
Who is your audience
Research who will be attending and find out a bit about them and the company they work for
Make notes in advance
Have plenty of business cards
Set a goal - how many people do I want to meet
Have a good opening line that grabs attention
Pitch:
You are networking for a reason. You want to make an impact and for people to remember you. But it’s not all about you - keep your pitch short and punchy and leave plenty of time for asking questions and listening.
Prepare a crisp ‘elevator pitch’
Write down how you can help the person you are talking to - writing it down will help you focus on what you have really got to offer and how you can help
A good formula is to think of an impact sentence - I help people achieve x…. By doing/being y... Mention a recent success - but keep it short.
Work out what you want to happen next - what do you want the person you are talking to do as a result of your conversation - it could be a meeting, a product demo, a career chat or a visit to your workplace
Always follow-up - to close the loop, drop the person you have met a quick email. Say how much you enjoyed the conversation (Tip: make a quick note of what you discussed as soon as you can and write down one memorable point from your chat).
Practise
It’s easy to forget the importance of practice. Some people are natural networkers (they’ve probably being doing it for a long time). But, as with any new skill, a bit of practice can pay dividends.
Ask a friend to role play with you or
Record yourself on Zoom
Or talk to the mirror
You won’t regret it
Pitfalls
Many of these pitfalls will seem like common sense, but it’s easy to forget in the heat of battle.
Keep it short - yes you want to pitch but you need to leave time to ask questions and listen too. Think 20:80.
Don’t hog that person or get trapped - you are here to work the room and meet as many people as possible
Focus on what you can do to help the person you are talking to
Don’t forget to introduce yourself, make eye contact and say use your name and company clearly and confidently
Don’t be afraid of giving a compliment - I hear your company recently had a big sale (this also shows you’ve done your homework)
Trust your preparation - ditch the script and make sure you sound natural and relaxed
Move out of your comfort zone - don’t stick with your friends or colleagues, you can talk to them anytime
I offer a zoom course on the Power of Networking - if you want to have a conversation do get in touch by emailing me - [email protected]
