This article provides ten top tips for networking – including what to do before, during and after a networking meeting.
1. Before attending any networking meeting find out as much as you can about it: what’s it for (just networking or will there be a talk), will you have a chance to present (e.g. a 60 second presentation), who attends (e.g. mostly small businesses, mostly corporate people, mostly one-man-bands/micro-businesses), what’s the dress-code
2. Having done your homework on the meeting, decide what you can offer these people.
3. Learn to sum up your business in two short to medium sentences. This is your ‘pitch’. If someone shows an interest you can then expand, but they aren’t going to give you ten minutes just to explain what you do, before they find it’s of no interest to them.
4. Don’t take it personally. Sometimes someone will brush you off. It’s very easy to feel hurt and humiliated by this but don’t. If anything you should think less of them, not yourself. There’s never any excuse for people to be rude to each other at these events. Just take a deep breath and move on.
5. Always be polite. If someone is pitching to you but it’s of no interest, and if you don’t feel you have anything relevant to pitch to them, just say it was great to meet them, thank them for talking to you and move on.
6. Remember – networking isn’t all about swapping business cards. It’s about building relationships. Someone may not be directly interested in what you have to offer, or vice versa, but they might no someone who is, or they might develop a need for your services in the future. You’ll never know if you’re not out there building relationships.
7. If you have exchanged business cards with someone and you think your work is of interest to them do follow up, preferably by phone but if not then certainly by email, within a day or two of the meeting.
8. If you will have a chance to make a 60-second pitch (or perhaps even a longer one) make sure you’re well prepared in advance. Decide what you’re going to say (including your two sentence summing up) and then make sure you can fit it comfortably into the time without having too much to spare or overrunning.
9. If you’re just starting out don’t go in saying so – it doesn’t give you credibility. If someone asks outright that’s another matter, but role-play the successful business person even if you don’t feel you are that person yet! Be confident and let the confidence that you know your subject shine through.
10. If at first you don’t succeed … don’t despair. Don’t expect to come away from your first meeting with a handful of referrals, although if you do that’s great! As a rule though it’s all about building relationships and becoming known to people, and that takes time!
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