Networking

It seems as if everybody is into networking these days but only a handful of people know how to network effectively. Don’t miss out on golden opportunities to become acquainted with those who can help you personally and professionally. Follow my list and you’ll be utilizing all those fantastic new contacts in no time!

1. Look utterly presentable! Being smartly dressed will go a long way in attracting people to you. Wearing a nice suit is not enough. Make sure you pay attention to the finishing touches such as your shoes (are they polished?), your nails (are they short and clean for men and manicured for ladies). Is your hair clean and tidy? In short, how you present yourself is how people will treat and respond to you.

2. Do not pass out your business cards to just anyone. Although I am sure you want to publicise your business or maybe just yourself (!), others will view this as being a little too eager. Hold back. Get to know others and only then suggest that you exchange details if you feel that there is a rapport.

3. Don’t try to work the room. Contrary to popular belief, working the room can work against you. It’s the law of diminishing returns. About two years ago I went to a networking function with a friend of mine whom I’ll call Ravi. Before long, Ravi had met everyone in the room. However, I held back and noticed a lady reading a French daily paper. I approached her as I am a Francophile and we got on so well we chatted the entire evening. Ravi was disappointed in me as he always thought of me as a “great networker”. I tried to explain that it is not the quantity but the quality. I have since become incredibly good friends with that lovely fellow Francophile and we have gone to many cultural functions and made some wonderful friends together. Ravi on the other hand, never heard or stayed in touch with one of those people with whom he had met that first evening.

4. Don’t limit yourself to business networking. When we think of networking we think of business events and functions. However, don’t discount other opportunities such as cultural associations and even volunteering. If you come from a particular ethnic heritage, think about joining local associations which will enable you to meet others like yourself. Volunteering is also a great way to meet people from all walks of life and some of the best friends and business contacts I have made have been through volunteer work. It also makes you feel better that you are contributing to society and not just thinking about how the next person can help you.

5. Prepare to stay in touch. While it is nice meeting new people at networking events, it’s pointless if you do not follow up. Make a point of contacting people whom you met within a day or two either by phone or email. I was particularly impressed by a young banker who sent me his business card with a short note by snail mail (he had just run out of cards when I had met him). Suggest to your newfound networking buddies a small group lunch and ask them to bring along a friend. Just keep the momentum going.

Following my 5 Fantastic Ways To Network Effectively will make you not only better at networking, it will attract more people to you as well. As they say, it is a two way street.

Best of luck and happy networking!

By M. Tan
Executive Director of Yumcha.com.au
http://www.yumcha.com.au
Australia’s Premier Networking Site for Asian Professionals

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No matter what business you are in, you also have a second job… you are a marketer. That means you are responsible for letting others know about how you can help them. One of the best ways to get those opportunities to convert prospects into customers is by networking. Here are some simple strategies for making your networking more effective.

1) Don’t describe what YOU do.

Let your potential client know how you can positively impact his or her life. Explain how your product or service will improve the life of your potential client.

For example, when someone asks me, “What do you do?” my first thought is almost always to explain, “I’m a writer and consultant.” Unfortunately that response rarely piques the interest of potential clients. Instead I’ve learned to answer, “I POWERFULLY communicate business messages to get results.” This answer not only grabs their attention but stimulates more questions about how I might help that particular prospect.

Action item: Develop your value response to the question, “What do you do?”

2) Turn interest into appointments.

Once you have developed your value response to the action item above, you are well on your way to more effective networking. When you describe what you can do for a potential client they are more likely to be interested in what you do. After all, it’s all about WIIFM - What’s In It For Me!

My friend Ray is a dynamic individual. Coincidentally he runs Interlink a faith based organization. I recently overheard someone ask Ray what he does. Ray quickly replied “I help seniors and others stay in their homes as long as possible.” The person asking the question was immediately touched and wanted to know more. By providing just enough information to increase curiosity, Ray quickly gained interest and a new volunteer for his organization. Ray also learned of a senior in need through this interaction.

You can follow this same strategy. Always provide information that is of value even if the prospect doesn’t schedule an appointment or need your services right now. The idea is to partner with customers to help them - not to trick them into services they may not want or need.

Action items: Develop a response to further inquiries about your business or service and provide valuable information to potential customers that helps turn interest into appointments.

3) Give prospects more than they expect.

Sure, your time is valuable but so is the time of your potential customer. Maximize the effectiveness and value of your initial meeting by offering to meet pro bono (or for free). While I don’t advocate giving services away for free, a complimentary initial meeting is a good way to find out if your services are right for the customerand if the customer is right for YOU.

Recently, Wade, an investment services broker contacted a marketing specialist to discuss ways he could increase his client base. The marketing specialist granted Wade a complimentary

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We’re in the last quarter of 2005, and setting goals for business growth and marketing that will give you momentum starting 2006 are part of every entrepreneur’s ‘to do’ list. Does your image relate to and support what you wanted to achieve in 2005? What about goals for 2006? How do you want others to see you and your business?

You’ve got to project professionalism if your plans for the end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006 include moving into a new market or gaining market share in a current market. You need to project success, confidence and authority. While you’re revamping or creating a marketing plan, do some research on your perfect client.

Are your perfect clients solo entrepreneurs working from home? Are they small businesses with a commercial location and multiple employees? Or could they be a medium-to-large corporation with multiple projects they’d like your assistance with? Each of these clients will relate to a slightly different image, though there are some universal requirements for being relatable in business.

Your website (if you have one, and if you don’t you should!), your printed marketing materials (brochure, business cards, etc) and everything from the message on your answering machine to the mailing labels that you use to send out invoices or quotes must reflect your professional status.

Running a small business (whether it involves retail, home-based or a virtual business) can require that you project the polished professionalism of a multi-million dollar enterprise. Even if you are only investing hundreds of dollars versus tens of thousands of dollars for marketing and advertising, you are still creating a public image for your company.

The danger occurs when your personal and professional image doesn’t correspond to your company’s printed image. That creates a credibility-destroying disconnect between your Total Image (Visual, Vocal and Verbal) and the projected image that you’ve created with your marketing materials.

Here are some tips for ensuring that you relate to your target market in a positive way and reassure them that you are safe to do business with:

1. Participate in networking activities that involve businesses and individuals in your target market - notice how they are dressed, and pattern your attire after theirs. For example - if you are targeting banks, insurance companies or financial services institutions as clients, you’ll need to dress conservatively. A dark suit with a white or light-colored shirt or blouse will be immediately relatable and put your client at ease. You can add personality through the use of accessories, but even there, you must be careful not to have too many focal points in your ensemble.
2. If you are targeting a specific company, look that company up via the Internet. A Google search on the company’s name can bring you lots of information on their corporate ‘culture’, just by checking out their web site and what press information is posted about them. A website that uses flash technology, bright colors and upbeat music speaks to a very different type of company than one that uses conservative colors (and a limited number of colors), static images and no music.
3. Ask friends, family and professional peers if they know someone who works in your target market industry or if they know of companies in your target market. Find out what the reputation of the company is within the community, and you’ll have a definite edge over someone who doesn’t do their homework.

Does all this take time? Of course! When the payoff is more customers, more income, more profit and ultimately a more self-confident and assured business owner (You!), the time you invest will be well spent.

About the Author: Dianne M. Daniels, AICI is a Certified Image & Color Consultant, Professional Speaker, and the author of “Polish and Presence: 31 Days to a New Image.” She has helped individuals and organizations refine and define their personal and professional image. Visit her site to find out how you can design and maintain a Total Image that sets a climate for success at http://www.imageandcolor.com.

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