You should be networking all the time as you go about your daily routine. This does not mean making a hard sales pitch to everyone you meet, but letting people know who you are and what you have to offer. The more people who know about you and what you do, the more business you will attract. What we'll be talking about here are structured networking events, but much of this information can also apply to those casual encounters with someone new at the coffee shop or gym.
1. Make a list of all the possibilities for networking. Consider organizations, special interest groups, charity events, formal networking groups etc., then narrow it down to one or two opportunities that seem most appropriate. You can usually attend meetings a few times before joining an organization, so check it out first.
2. The most important thing to consider when selecting events is whether people in your target market will be there. If you're selling cosmetics to women, for example, an organization devoted to the environment might not be your best bet. On the other hand, if your product or service could be classed in the new "green" category, an environmental organization might be a perfect place to network.
3. Get there early and attend the social hour if there is one.
4. If possible, write something about what you do on your name tag along with your name, i.e. Jane Jones, Landscape Design.
5. Take advantage of "information tables" by placing your marketing materials on them if it's appropriate. You may want to invest in a small brochure or business card holder for just this purpose.
6. Greet people and strike up conversations by asking them about themselves. Use the other person's name- you'll be more likely to remember it, and you'll make them feel valued.
7. Listen at least as much as you talk, and talk to only one person at a time. Your goal should be to meet as many people as possible but strive for quality connections with each person.
8. Give in order to receive. What is it that the person you are talking to needs or wants? Can you give them helpful information? A contact name? A referral?
9. Use parts of your elevator speech as appropriate when you tell them about what you do. This will seem awkward at first, but it will get easier and smoother each time.
10. Carry a stack of business cards. I like to wear a blazer to networking events. I use my right pocket for my own business cards and my left pocket for the cards I collect.
11. If someone seems especially interested in what you have to offer, ask how they would like to be contacted-by email, phone, etc. and for a good time to contact them. It is better for the call to be on your list of things to do rather than their list. Have brochures and flyers available if you need them, but only hand them out if someone is very interested in what you do.
12. Get a business card from each person you meet and make notes on it-when to contact them, what they're looking for, a name they may have given you, a bit of info about the person, etc. This should all go into your own records-we'll be talking about list management in an upcoming newsletter.
13. Follow up! The event is over, but the most important tasks are ahead. Contact any people who seemed interested in your products or services right away. Enter all your new contacts into your list (this could be as simple as a card file or as elaborate as a computer program designed for contact management). And remember to send a thank you note to anyone who might have given you special help, a referral, etc.
14. After you've done your follow up, evaluate the event. Give it a rating of from 1-5 as to its effectiveness, but remember that you may have to attend the same event more than once to make a good judgment about whether it is a good venue for you. Keeping records of all that you do on a separate calendar will give you an ongoing snapshot about your marketing activities and help you make good decisions about where to spend your time and effort going forward.
