Written by: Serena Fordham, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Networking has been the most successful activity in growing my contact list and building my client base over the last 10 years, so I'm sharing with you my advice on networking like a pro!
To make the most out of networking (both online and offline) for yourself and your business, it's key to:
1. Start by attending lots of different groups of different sizes, locations, single/mixed gender, and corporate/self-employed. However, always make sure that all or some of the delegates are in your relevant target market.
2. Once you have narrowed down what sort of networking groups and activities most suit you and your business, then be sure to find as many of these types of groups to explore. E.g., If a single-sex networking group has gained you lots of useful contacts, and seems to be more suited to your product/service, then find similar groups in your target location/s and attend these!
3. Once you have attended groups that suit you (from points 1 and 2 above) regularly, you will begin to know which of these groups/meetings are the most successful. Therefore, these are the ones to carry on attending regularly.
4. Now you know what groups and events to attend, make sure you check out the delegate list of each meeting or event in advance and highlight those you would like to build a business relationship with.
5. Try and chat to as many people as possible at each meeting/event. However, make sure you focus on those you have previously highlighted.
6. Always introduce yourself with a smile, a handshake, and a business card. Even if you have briefly met a person before, it is a good idea to remain professional. Therefore a hug is not likely to be appropriate.
7. Don’t introduce yourself with a robot-like sales pitch. Try to mix it up a bit, and even include some personal details if you feel comfortable.
8. In conversation, don’t focus on the sale. It is more important to focus on building meaningful business relationships, making useful contacts, and seeking new opportunities.
9. Look for things in common during your conversation (both business experiences and personal attributes) as this helps to build relationships and makes you more memorable. E.g., If the person you are speaking with has children like yourself, then this is a subject you can connect with and chat about.
10. As well as using networking to gain contacts, build relationships, and eventually make sales, also use groups to build your confidence by offering to be a speaker, and share your business story, or give an insight into your business/products/services.
11. Never slag off your competitors (or anyone else for that matter!) - EVER!!
12. A great thing about networking is that, as well as meeting new people, it also encourages referrals, which in turn encourages sales. By building trust with other business delegates, they are more likely to recommend you to others (both attending the relevant networking group and those who don't).
13. Always leave a meeting/event by saying goodbye to as many people as possible who you have spoken with. This, along with a beaming smile, leaves a lasting impression and makes you memorable!
I hope these tips will help you up your networking game to encourage more connections, collaborations, and sales success for your business.
Feel free to visit my website & follow me on Facebook for more tips like this!
Serena Fordham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Serena is an expert Business Strategist, Growth/Development and Empowerment Mentor to Female Entrepreneurs, and a best-selling Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, and successful multiple Business Owner. Her main passion is offering business strategies, support, and empowerment to ambitious and high vibe business women both locally and internationally – through HER Business Revolution. She is also known for her organizational skills by owning Glow Virtual Assistants and supporting women and child-related charities (also founding two charitable initiatives – Mums Empowerment Movement and SociaBubble).
