Networking Skills That Drive Success
by Jeramy Colvin
Business networking is a great way to build your personal sphere of influence. If you do a quick Internet search or read a local business paper, you are likely to find several local Chamber and professional events that will help you to make key business contacts. However, many professionals miss opportunities to develop these relations because of poor networking skills. While meeting people in a social setting may be easy, developing a business relationship with other professionals in an effective manner is an important skill to master. Here are some basic networking tips that will help most every professional succeed in any business networking environment:
Your primary goal is simple: build relationships with others. Focus on building and establishing rapport with others. Make contact with a few people and the follow-up later. Be more interested in others than interesting, and you will build rapport.
Do not try to sell your products or services. You are in a room full of other professionals, who are all seeking opportunities to sell their products. Do the opposite, and listen to their presentations. Ask about some of their challenges, and offer referrals, tips, and suggestions that may help them build business. As you start to do this, you will develop partnerships with other professionals who are focused on helping others to succeed.
Create a reason for follow-up with others. When providing some tips or referrals, offer to meet with your new contact in the near future to discuss how the two of you may work together to capture more business. Remember, people like to do business with friends, so build a friendship with your new business contact.
Do not just randomly hand out your card to others. Often new networkers think that the goal is to hand out and pick up as many cards as possible. The real goal is to meet and develop relations with a few people who will help you to create additional business through a collaboration of thoughts, ideas, and resources.
Always have cards to share with others. Cards should be professionally printed on nice card stock, and ensure they are in good condition when given to others. When you exchange cards, write some brief notes on the back to remind you of the meeting. Notes should include date and place of meeting, as well as some personal details and perhaps some info on how you may lend support to the fellow networker. Avoid using cards printed in a computer, handwritten, and cards with incorrect or missing info. Such cards provide a poor first impression, and tell others you are not a professional.
Always follow-up with your new contact. After a networking mixer, email your contact. Reinforce your connection, and offer to lend some support in helping him or her with a business challenge. You will also want to call him or her over the next day or two to continue to develop rapport. Another great way to build rapport is to send your new contact a nice to meet you card. This is a very effective relationship building strategy. Sending a note card will help you stand out, and show that you care.
Always remember that building rapport with your new contacts is the most important step in networking. People tend to do business with individuals that they know and trust. If you keep they focus on others, learn about their business, and build a solid rapport, they will likely ask you about your business and then you will have created a very solid business prospect. Always remember to be more interested than interesting, and you will attract individuals who want to know more about your business, and how they can help you to succeed.
About the Author: Jeramy Colvin is a home business coach and attraction marketing specialist who has built a large business by networking with others. Jeramy helps home business professionals with personal branding, and appreciation marketing with an easy to master online system. To learn how to set up your own system, please visit Conquer Internet Marketing.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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