Chamber Benefits and Services > Services Detail
What's Networking
Networking is a very over used phrase, and for some people it just does not work. For some lack of confidence is an issue, but equally some try too hard to go for the big sell and risk loosing the attention of their audience.
Networking Gone Wrong?
Some charge straight into a network event, arms bulging with flyers and pocketful of business cards in another. Organizers of events put ‘excellent networking opportunity’ into their marketing and everyone rushes along often only to be disappointed. Networking as a CONCEPT is good. However in reality it can be cold and impersonal. Connecting is about managing relationships. It’s about sharing knowledge and resources, time and energy, friends and associates in a continual effort to provide value for others, whilst increasing your own. Connecting is a continuous process of GIVING and RECEIVING. People do business with people they know and like. That’s why connecting is one of the most important skills sets you’ll ever develop.
The Gain
CLUSTERING is a good organised way to gain real business benefit.
You can also gain through alliances, lower marketing costs, savings, and simply
some one to call!
Why connect?
CONCEPTS you chase for the best ideas or new visions. An investment in innovation from IDEAS networks like seminars, exhibitions, internet newsgroups. Usually entrepreneurial people and organizations
COMPETENCES you are interested in best practice, best performance, and best delivery. It’s an investment in education, information and continuous improvement through industry led groups, quality associations, business support events, site visits, customer focus groups. Usually learning-orientated people
CONNECTIONS Partnership-oriented people network to find best access to markets and forge best relationships. An investment in collaboration with customer visits, social events, meet the buyer and all above
The Ideal Connector
Be a CHAMPION connector and have the balance of these 4 qualities.
Open to People: Pleasant and approachable, make you feel welcome. Encouraging helping you become relaxed and confident
Open to Ideas: Good listeners, receptive, open-minded. Lateral thinkers who prefer to build on ideas rather than knock them down
Open to Learning: Interested in new and better ways of doing things. Up to date. Prepared to take time and trouble to learn & share own experience, warts and all.
Open to Opportunity. Interested in productive partnerships. Not a time waster. Understands patience
You are not there to sell
You are not there to sell. You are there to;
• Meet other people
• Introduce yourself to them
• Find out who they are & what they do
• Tell them a bit about you
• Introduce them to others
• Refer them to people you know
Where do you go wrong? Think of a recent networking activity and relate your activity
it to these questions
Managing The Situation
Success comes from improving your conversationalist skills
He who asks the questions controls the conversation
People’s favourite subject – THEM!
Act as the Host or Hostess
Ask follow-up questions
LISTEN!!
How good are you at listening? What will you do to improve yourself?
Ice Breaking Questions
Develop icebreaking questions to get the conversation started…
• Are you a member of……?
• How long have you been involved with…?
• How did you hear about …?
• What do you know about the speaker?
• Where are you from?
Use these as prompts to develop your own collection of ice-breaking questions
Business Related Questions
Now use these to develop questions which help you develop the conversation in the
right direction
• What type of work do you do?
• What’s your position/title with the company?
• What does your company do?
• How long have you done it?
• How did you get into this line of work?
• What do you like most about your job?
Dig for England…
Now use these prompts to develop ‘dig-deeper;’ questions which help reveal opportunities and information
• What are the greatest challenges you see in your business?
• How is technology changing the way you do business?
• What trends do you see taking place in your business?
• How would I know if someone was a good prospect for you?
The Biggest Failing
The biggest failing of all is that people forget to follow-up. What will you do and how
will you have a system for doing it?
• It’s your job to follow-up
• Don’t wait for them to call
• Bridge the first meeting
• Have value-added follow-up points
3 key success actions
Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting
what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what
they want, too.
“Ping” constantly: The Ins and Outs of reaching out to those in your circle of
contacts all the time—not just when you need something.
Don’t be invisible: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at
a corporation or attending a society event— “invisibility” is a fate worse than failure.
