If it's a couple martinis in during a networking-gone-wild event (don't act all surprised; you know exactly what I'm talking about), I'm likely to deliver a spirited diatribe on why a person should get a little more creative when asking about work. Frankly, I think I'd prefer "Who are you and what do you do?" At least it would make me chuckle! On the other hand, if it's a fairly serious event, I'm tempted to be polite and stick to the basics of elevator-speech-giving/self promotion.
But wait? How many people out there have this networking stuff mastered? Very few. BUT- it could happen just about anywhere, any time. You want to be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities for self promotion!
Networking Do's
1. Dress like you mean it. Are you a professional? Okay then. Manage your image appropriately for your industry and your brand (company and personal).
2. Have your business cards on you at all times. No exceptions. (Don't push them on people, but have them handy.)
3. Talk to people. Let's break it down:
How do you start a conversation with others during networking?
What if you are terrified to approach someone you don't know? Get over it. (OK, that's a bit mean...) Look for ways to connect. You already have several things in common with every person in the room: you are all there to meet people, you were invited to the same event, you are in the same city, you are a working professional, etc... Even if all you can muster is, "do you know where I can get a new nametag?" , "how did you hear about this event?" or similar, it's a start! Work up to "Hi, I'm ____ ," stick out your hand and be ready with something positive, tastefully humorous, or a question.
As a coach, I ask questions of others easily - partly because I have a lot of practice. My advice to novices? Try asking the questions you really want to ask or stating something interesting.
- What are you curious about and how could you ask it in a way that shows that you care about the answer?
- What could you sincerely compliment that person on?
- Ask about family, recreation, or goals.
When you get them talking they will almost automatically come around to their work. Then you can ask clarifying questions. It's easy. The key is to really care about the person and their answers. (In case they drone on and on, and you need to keep mingling, have a polite way to break away.)
How do you talk about what you do?
First, you have to know what you do and how to state it concisely and clearly without being bland. If you haven't taken the time to nail this down, start it now. Let it sit and come back to it a couple times, then share with others and tweak it again. This is so worth doing that I cannot even remotely express the importance here. Currently, I personally like the format, "I am a _____; I specialize in ________."
For example:
"I am a business coach. I specialize in coaching women to succeed in business."
People always query for more. Then you can either share a well-crafted blurb about your product or service BENEFITS (not features!), or you can share your passion statement with full-on enthusiasm. That'll get their attention.
Keep the conversation going to make a real connection.
Ask them more questions about their passions, achievements, or current challenges in their work. IF you would like their information for any reason, ask for their business card. Let them ask for yours.
Once you made the choice to be at the event, enjoy every moment that you can. And at the end of the night, even if you didn't connect with some of the types of people you intended to, be optimistic about the connections to come from your newly expanded circle.
One last thing---and I almost hate to add this, but seriously: never judge a book by its cover.
Happy networking!
Sincerely,
Heather A. Legge
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