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Networking for Fun & Profit
How to get the most out of networking events
Networking events can work for
both business-to-consumer (B-to-C) and
business-to-business (B-to-B) companies. Some of
these events have a theme; such as industry
(hospitality firms), descriptive (marketing
firms), or location (businesses on the west side
of town). Your local business press should print
the networking groups in your area along with
the day, time and location of their meetings.
Many networking groups are local, while others
are national lead exchange groups such as Le Tip
and BNI.
When you go to a networking event, there are
several tips that can help make the experience
more productive for you.
1) Pick the right events. Make sure you
research what the purpose and goal is of the
event you will be attending. If the attendees
don’t include companies or people who could buy
from you or, more importantly, their customers
don’t match your customer profiles, then don’t
go. If you sell marketing services, avoid
attending events for manufacturing people. You
also want to make sure you have something in
common with the other attendees.
2) Don’t be shy. Take the initiative to
start conversations with other attendees by
asking a lot of questions about what they do,
who their clients are, how long they’ve been
doing it, how long they lived in town, etc.
3) Listen well. Be a good listener and
pay attention to what is being said as well as
how it is being said.
4) Arrive early. This will help you get a
lay of the land and to establish conversations
early on with others who have just arrived. If
you come later, everyone may already be engaged
in a conversation with someone else and it may
not be as easy for you to join in.
5) Avoid people you know. The goal of a
networking event is to meet new people. Spending
time with people you already know defeats the
purpose.
6) Only the lonely. It’s a bit
challenging to break into a conversation with a
group of people (although you should try this in
a polite way, nevertheless). So look for other
attendees who are alone and not already engaged
in a conversation. They’ll welcome you and your
conversation because nothing is worse than
standing alone at an event where you’re supposed
to be mingling and conversing.
7) Food is your friend. Hang around the
food since that’s where most people at these
events eventually go. Talk to people while
you’re in line. Take just a few pieces of food
at a time so that you have an excuse to keep
returning to the buffet. Take your plate to a
table or crowd with a lot of people and
introduce yourself. Talk a bit, listen a lot,
and keep getting up for more (small portions of)
food. This will allow you to mingle and meet
more people in a more comfortable, and perhaps
less intimidating, fashion.
8) Take, don’t give. Try not to give out
your business card unless someone asks for it.
This way, if they ask for it you’ll know they
actually want it. On the other hand, take as
many cards as you can, provided they are from
people you want to follow up with, have
customers you’ll want to meet, or have a reason
to stay in touch with and build a relationship.
9) Take notes. When someone gives you
their card, write a short note on the back about
what you discussed so you’ll remember when you
follow up.
10) Follow up. Always follow up with the
people you meet at a networking event. A simple
email the next day telling them what a pleasure
it was to meet them and thanking them for their
time is all that’s needed.
11) Don’t be a snob. Invite people into
your conversations. Don’t appear to be cliquish
by ignoring strangers. Be gracious as this will
present a positive impression of you. And, don’t
judge a book by its cover. You never know who
someone really is and if they will someday need
your services, or know someone else who will.
12) Don’t Sell!!! Networking events are
not an invitation for you to sell your stuff.
You are building relationships and your goal is
to get these people, with whom you will
eventually (hopefully) build a trusting
relationship, to refer you to their clients or
even give you their client’s names for you to
contact. If a person you meet at one of these
events is interested in what you do, they will
let you know. Don’t try selling here; else you
will be avoided like the plague.
13) General comments. Dress
professionally. Don’t drink too much. Don’t make
a pig of yourself at the buffet. Don’t sell (see
point #12). Don’t act like a fool. Don’t do all
these obvious things you wouldn’t normally do in
front of a customer and that I shouldn’t even
have to mention here. But remember, I’ve seen it
all, so it always helps to be thorough.
Networking events can be fun, informative and
very beneficial to your lead generating efforts.
Make the most of them, but remember that the
main goal of these events is to build
relationships with other members so that you can
refer each other to your customers, not to use
them to sell to.
Note: This article was an
excerpt from Russ Lombardo’s latest book, “CyberSelling
– Using CRM Technology to Help You Sell.”
For more information, check out
www.CyberSellingBook.com.
Good
luck and good selling!
Russ Lombardo
PEAK
Sales Consulting
russ@peaksalesconsulting.com
(702)
655-5652
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