So many people think of networking as attending meetings with people who are either looking for work or looking for clients. The truth is that relationships are critical in business and are the building blocks of opportunities. Networking is all about creating relationships that grow over time and lead to personal growth, opportunity, and even lifelong friendships. Creating and building these relationships can lead to bigger deals, referrals and life-long clients.
So, how are your networking skills?
Here are a few tips to help you give a great first impression at networking events:
~ Be punctual. This will give you time to scan the guest list to see if there is someone in particular that you’d like to meet.
~Be confident. Be brave enough to introduce yourself to others instead of waiting for them to come to you. If you’re not comfortable approaching a group of people, start by approaching someone standing alone.
~ Be prepared. Plan your 60-second elevator pitch ahead of time and practice it so when you’re asked the “What do you do?” question, you will have a well thought out response.
~ Be Professional. Your handshake is more than a greeting, it’s your first impression. Don’t give a fish hand, but don’t be too forceful either. Remember to make eye contact with the other person and extend your hand. Grip the other person’s hand entirely and firmly. Hold it and shake for one or two seconds and release. Always ask permission before offering your business card, “May I give you my card?” Always present your card face up. When you receive someone’s card, take a moment to look at it, noting the person’s name and title, before putting it away. This is a sign of respect.
~ Follow-up. Follow-up. Follow-up. Make sure you are contacting the people that you met either by email or phone the next day to let them know you enjoyed meeting them. Ask if it’s okay for you to keep in touch with them and when it might be convenient for you to follow-up with them again. Find a way that you might be able to help them with a referral or contact.
Good networking skills are a low-cost, effective way of growing your business and increasing your referrals when it’s done right. Take the time to be prepared, make good eye contact, give a great first impression and follow-up. With these skills, you’ll see your business growing by leaps and bounds!