Strategic Networking
Casa Dijanna OFB - 2/17/2011
Over 130 people attended last Thursday’s Out For Business event at Casa Dijanna in Watertown. While everyone was impressed with the size of the crowd, some people may have been intimidated to have to walk into the crowd and start conversations with people they had never met. In those situations, it is easy to assume that you are the only person who doesn’t know someone else in the room. We often see people who have strategically invited their co-workers or colleagues just so they have someone to talk to. That’s a great start, but it can be a trap if you spend the whole night just talking to the person who came with you. Networking events are about getting to know new potential business partners and starting the relationship development process.
Our next Out For Business is Thursday, March 3 at Naugatuck Valley Community College. To help you get ready to make the most of this networking opportunity, here are some networking tips courtesy of Dale Carnegie of Western CT.
Tip #1. Network Genuinely: When attempting to build trust, credibility and business relationships, you need to present yourself in a genuine light. If you attend networking events or situations with the intention to sell, you will come off as self-serving and fail to connect with other attendees.
Tip #2. Define Your Goals: Do not arbitrarily select a networking event. Before you go anywhere, take a moment to figure out what you are hoping to accomplish through networking. Different networking events have different focuses, like education or database growth. Knowing what aligns with your goals is the key to getting the most out of networking.
Tip #3. Visit Multiple Groups: Like when buying a car, settling on the first networking group you stumble across is usually unwise. Visit several groups to get a feel for each group’s unique flavor and to see what they can offer you and you can offer them. Once you find a networking group that works for you, give it your full attention.
Tip #4. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Successful networking hinges upon your ability to ask the people you interact with a series of open-ended questions, as opposed to simple yes/no questions. If you rely solely on yes/no questions, your networking efforts will fail to encourage any sort of meaningful dialogue. Furthermore, an open-ended question conveys more sincere interest in someone.
Tip #5. Understand Your Business: In order to maximize your networking efforts, you must have a clear understanding of what makes your business unique. These differences, coupled with a concrete understanding of what your competitors offer, are the factors that will most interest the people with whom you network.
Tip #6. Follow-up With People: After successfully connecting with someone who might benefit from your business’ products and/or services, you need to follow-up with them through drip marketing campaigns. But don’t just call them and ask, “So, are you ready to do some business together?” Building trust, credibility and brand recognition takes time. By taking this approach, you will not only put more prospects in the sales funnel but also help nurture your future sales.
Visit www.waterburychamber.com for more information on upcoming networking events, including the April 19 Business Expo, our biggest networking event of the year!
