Do you have a love hate relationship with networking meetings? On the one hand, we all know we need to network and meet new people. On the other hand, it kind of feels like the equivalent to speed dating. There’s a lot of pressure to put your best foot forward. You are so focused on delivering that masterful 30 second commercial that it’s almost impossible to remember what the other person just said. And you’ve got to grab as many digits as possible so you can go home and start that awkward follow-up process of trying to get business from people you barely know and that barely remember you.
Does that sound familiar? If so, you can see why it is really easy to network better than your competition! Most people that are using networking as a marketing strategy are not doing it all that well. So the playing field is wide open! So here’s some strategies to use the next time you are out networking.
5 ways to network better than your competition:
- Networking with a purpose: I met a gentleman a few years ago that ran the best networking events. He brought entrepreneurs and business owners together to go out and serve in the community. They built houses, did yard work, served food at a soup kitchen and all other types of community service. No one was focused on what they were going to “get” out of the experience in terms of leads and clients. And it brought the walls down to actually build relationships. The connections that came out of those events were much stronger than an average networking event. See if someone in your area is organizing these types of events. And if not, there’s an opening and you could be that someone!
Ditch the pitch and listen: I’ve learned not to start off a connection with a 30 second commercial. Instead I listen to the person I’m talking to. I ask questions. I ask questions until I find something I can help them with. Then I’ll offer a tip, a connection, or a service that I know of that can fill their needs. And then they ask me, “So tell me what you do?” That’s the key. When a human brain is focused on an objective, we don’t listen all that well. If I talk to them right at the beginning, they don’t remember or process what I told them. If I hold back my pitch, we can connect, and build trust before I tell them what I do.- Join organizations where your ideal client hangs out: Depending on who your ideal client is, you’ll need to adjust where you network. I was recently talking with an Interior Designer who was frustrated that his time at BNI wasn’t producing results. The average attendee at BNI doesn’t own a million dollar home. So as we discussed his networking I recommended that he join the local arts council or check out the historical society. Both of those places is more likely to bring him in contact with his ideal client.
- Promote other people: This last week I’ve been submitting to speak at conferences. As I’ve come across events that have a call for speakers that weren’t a fit for me, I pass on the links to people that would be great for the conference. When I do a radio interview, I try to tell the host about someone that would be great for their next interview. I asked another speaker last week what she has coming up that I could promote through my social media channels. And no surprise, she recommended me for a radio show. When you promote others, they naturally will want to reciprocate.
- Collaborate: The best business relationships I have all came through collaboration. We proactively reach out to business owners and find ways to collaborate. In my industry collaboration often looks like doing online events together, or inviting them onto my radio show. But, in other industries that could look like a nutritionist and a medical doctor having a referral partnership. A basic human principle is that we can create more together than we can alone. Find people that you can team up with to increase your impact. And in the process you’ll find that you build really strong relationships.
Your professional network is your most valuable asset. Be proactive in building it. But let’s all agree, it’s time to move past the surface introductions and really build quality relationships!