Recently, I've been talking to several business owners and independent professionals who are frustrated with the results they get from attending networking events. Networking came become a huge drain on our time - particularly if we are not consistently generating business from these events.
Networking is one of those important business skills that they don't teach us in school. Here are a few tips both I and my customers have used to achieve better results when attending networking events.
Go in with a plan - What is your goal for this particular event? Have you identified specific people you would like to meet?
Have something to give - the golden rule in networking is "give to get". I find that following this rule makes me a better listener, which in turn makes me a better salesperson. One of my favorite ways to give at my regular networking events is to act as a connector. Because I attend these events regularly, I have a good idea of what everyone does, which helps me introduce people who can help each other in their business.
Form a tag team - Some people are uncomfortable talking about themselves, but love to make referrals to others. If you fall into this category, trying going to your next networking event with a "tag team" partner. Spend a little time learning about the types folks each of you would like to meet and then spend your time at the event looking for great contacts for your partner.
Qualify - We all have a limited amount of time, so it is important to qualify the people you meet before you let them into your prospecting system. I don't mean qualifying as we normally think of in selling. Rather, you should be prepared to have a structured conversation that allows you determine if this person is available to "date" before you automatically add them to your prospect list.
Don't sell at the event - Similar to a cold call, the goal is not to make the sale, but to get an appointment. You may not be able to set the exact date and time of the appointment but you should create a clear expectation of how and when you will follow up to set the appointment.
Follow Up - It doesn't do any good to go to a networking event, collect a bunch of business cards, and then leave them on a pile on your desk. Create a system to make sure you consistently follow up with everyone you have qualified to be in your prospecting system.
Cultivate - If people aren't thinking of you before they have a need for your services, do you think they will think of (or remember) you when they do have a need? You need to have a system in place to first achieve "Top of Mind" status when you meet a new contact. You also need to make sure that once you achieve "Top of Mind" status, that you stay there.
