There’s no substitute for peer to peer networking when it comes to building relationships with potential clients. Remember that companies cannot have relationships – only people can, which makes networking an important aspect of any business development strategy.
But this doesn’t just mean attending every event that’s going: if you go about it the wrong way, you’re wasting your money and your time.
I’ve run more events than I care to remember and attended even more again. In that time, I’ve seen a lot of very good networkers at work. They seem to be everywhere and always at various functions, industry events, conferences or meetings. Some I know of will even attend two or three events in a single day. And there are even some who will attend two or three events on a single evening – popping in, working the room, then moving onto the next event. God bless them, they have more energy than I do.
What makes a good networker however isn’t simply attending the opening of every envelope. They’re focussed on the new relationships they want to create, and existing relationships they want to strengthen. They’re also excellent listeners, and ask a lot of questions. They’re helpful if they can be, and genuinely interested in other people and their business.
Most of us however aren’t naturally this way inclined. So here are a few “do’s” and “don’ts” as we enter the hectic pre-Christmas networking season:
- Don’t just hang out with your mates. It’s the first refuge for the shy person in all of us. Hanging out with colleagues at an industry networking event is little different to being a wallflower at the school dance. This isn’t networking, it’s attending.
- Don’t let yourself be monopolised. It can be too easy to get caught with one person or group for an entire event. Try excuse yourself after an appropriate time and move on.
- Ask questions. Use networking as an opportunity to learn more about other people’s businesses, ask their views on the industry, share some insights of your own.
- Make connections. You may have never dealt with the company of the person you’re talking to, but you may have worked with someone who has. It’s six degrees of separation and the business community is a small world.
- Share personal experiences. Being human is what makes us tick. If you’ve got interests in sport or other recreational pursuits, see if someone shares them. It’s a fast ice breaker when you find some common ground outside of business. Anyway, it makes for more interesting conversation.
- Follow up. Make a mental note or better still, write it down. If you promise to find something, do something or help with something, be sure you do. Even just drop them a short email by way of follow up saying “good to meet you…”
- Don’t sell. Networking is about building and extending relationships. Using networking opportunities as a selling opportunity is just tacky.
- Specialise. Don’t spread yourself too thin by attending a wide cross section of industry events, but try focus on the types of events that match networking opportunities that are suited to your business. Better to get yourself reasonably well known in a particular circle than not known across many circles.
- Don’t overdo it. If you attack a room with the express aim of meeting every person there, you’ll look desperate and tacky and insincere. It’s not a good look.
Finally, don’t expect miracles. I’ve heard people question the value of networking with comments like “oh I went to that function once but got nothing out of it.” If you’re entirely uncomfortable with networking yourself, don’t do it – but have someone else from your business do it for you. And don’t expect to measure the results of each event or gathering as an accountant might – it takes time for networks to build.
