We all do it, but how many of us really do it well? These few pointers may get you thinking and make a difference to how you network in the future.
In advance of an event ...
Ask to be emailed the list of attendees to an event in advance so that you know who you want to meet when you get there. Then telephone any of those on the list that you know and say: ‘Did you know x will be there?’
When you are there ask someone if there is anyone they would like to meet and, even if you don’t know that third party, you can track them down and introduce the other person. The latter will be eternally grateful and it’s somehow easier to approach a person on behalf of another.
When in a crowd of people you might not know:
- Listen hard rather than talk.
- Ask people you meet for information/help - people like to feel valued.
- Wait to be asked for your business card - benchmark of their interest in you.
- Use different pockets a) for your own cards - OUT
b) for others’cards - IN. - When you introduce yourself, do so for no more than 7-10 seconds and stress the benefits of what you have to offer eg Not ‘I’m an investment banker,’ but ‘I make people rich.’
- Aim to come away from an event with cards from other people (not just to have given out yours) - follow up on return to the office with a call or letter. ‘It was good to meet you at ....’
- Take the initiative and draw the ‘lonely’ one in - they’ll be grateful and you have an ally.
- Names are important to remember - use someone’s name in sentences when you speak and then you will remember it.
Making your network work for you:
- On average, a person has around 200 people in their active network.
- Ask myself who I can get together in my network, to their benefit - building up favours for later?
- Actively ask friends and contacts: ‘Who do you know who can help me with ...?’
- Reconnect with 4 of your contacts every day, so that every 2 months you speak to them all. Start today!
- Offer to exchange ‘filofaxes’ with close friends in business.
- Organise events where each friend who is invited has to bring along another friend from another circle.
Insurance
Every now and then photocopy your filofax/black book, or back-up your computer-based record, in case of loss.
