People buy from people.
I mention this a lot as it is something I believe in. It is particularly true with networking events; if someone likes you they’re more likely to do business with you than a stranger.
When you start a new business it can be difficult as most people will probably already have a supplier providing the product/service that you’re offering and they won’t have heard of you or your business before. The solution to this in my opinion is to get to know people.
Going to networking events takes time out of your day when you could be busy working in other areas of the business. I do understand the frustration when people tell me they don’t see results from attending networking events but I usually find that this is because they have been to an event once or twice didn’t get any business from it and never went back. This is a rookie error, networking is a slow burner.
I have attended countless networking events and it has been extremely rare for me to walk into an event, strike up conversation with a total stranger, explain my business and make a sale (it has happened but it is very rare). The reason for this is quite simple, everyone who attends a networking event is going to promote their own business, they aren’t going to find a product or service to purchase; if you understand this you will become a better networker.
How to find networking events:
It is very easy to find networking events, finding good networking events is a lot harder. Using LinkedIn, EventBrite and search engines will show an abundance of events near you (particularly if you live close to a large city). Some events will be completely free, others will be ‘pay as you go’ or have a yearly membership fee with additional payment required each time you attend. Everyone is different and what is a great networking group for me might not be the one for you, it is all about the people who are there and if you feel that you fit in with the group.
Unfortunately there isn’t a quick way to filter between the good and bad events, you need to get out there and attend. You will almost certainly waste a few early mornings and early evenings but be positive and view it as getting a step closer to finding the right event for you.
Appearance
Before I go in depth we’ll look at networking etiquette. This is common sense but I’m always shocked by at least one person at every networking event I go to; dress well and appear presentable (clean shaven, tidy hair, trimmed nails and fresh breath are an absolute must).
When you attend a networking event you represent your business; I have met a number of individuals representing accountancy firms, financial advisors and solicitors etc. wanting to look after me and my business but when I see that they don’t even take the time or effort to iron their shirt or have a shave I’m immediately unimpressed (and I’m not alone in thinking this way). If someone is representing their business and they look shabby it makes their business appear shabby.
Clothing and appearance is of tremendous importance, dress in a way that makes you look and feel successful. The next point will depend on how comfortable you are doing this but I like to wear one thing that stands out. I do this for two reasons, firstly it is a conversation starter and secondly it makes you both stand out from the crowd and memorable. I might choose a bold tie (never wear any type of comedy/cartoon related tie!), a pinstripe shirt, noticeable cufflinks or one of my favourites, very colourful socks (I don’t wear them all at the same time).
How you act is as important as how you dress. If you sit quietly in a corner looking lonely and weak then again this is how your business will be portrayed. For the introverts amongst us this isn’t easy so you will need to practice; make sure you have strong body language standing/sitting up straight with your chin high, portray confidence even if you don’t feel it.
Now that you know how to look the part a good handshake is of great importance and something you should practice if you’re not used to it. Everyone is different but I don’t like the feeling of someone trying to break my hand or a very limp handshake but this is something that you can practice and find what works for you. After shaking hands the conversation will begin; ensure your body language is correct, speak clearly and audibly. I know this again sounds like common sense but speaking from experience I have met so many people who speak so quietly that I have to repeatedly ask them what they have just said.
The basics have been covered.
Upon Arrival:
Make sure you get hold of a delegate list, this is everyone who should be in the room (there will be a few no shows). Use the event organiser to your advantage, remember that you will most likely be paying them for attending so make sure they’re helping you get maximum benefit out of your time there. This is done by scanning the delegate list and identifying companies that you would like to speak to; when you have done this go over to the event organiser and say that you would like an introduction. The event organisers are almost always more than happy to help as if you have a good experience at their event you will come back and tell others about the success you have had at their group.
For a number of reasons you won’t get chance to speak to some of those who you would like to, this is where the delegate list again comes in useful. After the event you can send the individuals in question an email explaining that you were hoping to talk to them, upon a reply you can either try to setup a meeting with them or arrange to meet at the next event.
Who To Talk To:
I try my best to avoid ‘serial networkers’ as I have found that a large number of these people spend all of their time networking and doing very little business. These individuals will be hard to identify when you start attending events but when you start seeing them at every event you go to they will become apparent.
I also avoid individuals from multi-level marketing organisations as I have found that mostly they’re only interested in selling their products/services or recruiting new members. You may have different experiences when you network but I have found I have considerably greater success with people who run their own business.
It is hypocritical but avoid the ‘comfort zone’ of spending the entire networking time (or a great deal of it) attached to someone in the same position as you (new to networking and nervous). Time is money, you aren’t going to this event to make small talk with someone you will never do business with, you need maximum exposure from your time out of the office.
Who should you try to talk to? A good friend of mine gave me some excellent advice which I have always adhered to:
It’s easy to go and speak to someone standing alone but you only get your business across to one person, speak to a group and you get yourself across to 5-6 people in almost the same amount of time.
When you arrive scan the room, look at the groups of people talking and where there is an opening (a space which you can easily walk up to and join the group without having to ask anyone to move to let you in) walk over, wait until there is a pause in conversation and be polite, first ask “am I ok to join in?” then introduce yourself. At least some of the group will be experienced networkers who will usually put you at ease and the conversation will (hopefully) flow.
What To Say:
You have shook hands and introduced yourself. I always ask “what do you do?” first. People like to talk about themselves and their business, if you ask them to talk about themselves and are interested in what they have to say they are pretty much certainly going to like you. The second reason for this is I’m evaluating how much time I’m going to spend with this person. If they’re in a line of business which is of no relevance to mine or worse a competitor I know to wrap things up pretty quickly and move onto someone else. As I will come to mention just about everyone you meet at a networking event can potentially be important (just some are more directly useful than others) and bring you business so never offend, when wrapping a conversation up do so politely e.g. “I need to make a quick call”, “I just need to go and speak to a certain person before they leave” etc.
When the time comes to speak about yourself I prefer to be humble. If you’ve been to a networking event before I’m sure you’ll know certain individuals who you would think were rivals for Alan Sugar but you later see getting into a battered 15 year old car at the end of the event.
I aim to tailor my business description around what I have just been told about their business. Don’t regurgitate the same scripted speech about your business, if you meet someone who you think you would benefit from a particular service then start with that and explain it in more detail.
An important point leading from this is to not try to explain every little thing or every service of your business. It is tempting to talk a lot, particularly if it is something you’re passionate about but show restraint, not everyone is going to be as interested in your business as you are. The goals is to have the person you are speaking with to walk away with a clear understanding of your business and how you could be of benefit to him/her.
Most networking events will give you time to deliver a pitch ranging from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. As with most things preparation is key; you need practice pitches that summarise your business that last different periods of time. Make sure you get across the name of your company, the products/services you offer (or they key products/services if you have a large number of them) and how these can be of benefit. When you start attending networking events you will be able to develop your pitches and build your confidence.
The Business Card
If you haven’t got business cards with you don’t bother going to a networking event. This sounds harsh but you will be asked for them repeatedly and if you don’t have one it will raise eye brows; have you forgotten them? Have you only just setup your business? Have you never been to a networking event before? In short not arriving with business cards will make you look amateurish.
Your business card represents you and your business, I’m not suggesting you go to Patrick Bateman in American Psycho lengths but you need to have a nice, well designed business card. A number of companies offer free business card printing which advertises their company on the back, absolutely everyone in networking knows this and if you have one of these it’s only marginally better than having none at all. Again this sounds harsh but you’re portraying yourself as a successful business owner, why would you need to get free business cards when they can be bought in large quantities for around £15?
Make sure your business card has a nice design, unless you’re very good at designing I strongly recommend hiring someone to design your card and ensure it is printed on good quality paper. The business card needs your full name, contact number, website and email address in a clearly visible way. A lot of people like to put a small photograph of themselves on their business card which is a clever move. Networkers will meet lots of people, like me they’ll end up with dozens of business cards and find it very difficult to impossible to remember who the person behind the card was. If you’re active on social media then links to your companies social media links can be effective.
I had a good deal of success recently with a double sided business card. On the front was the usual information, on the back was a special offer with a code providing them with a free SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) audit. A number of people who probably wouldn’t have got in touch with me called or emailed in the days following an event to take up the offer, many of these converted into paying customers. Think about something that you could offer as an appetiser for a potential customer which will allow you to show them your professionalism and how you can develop/improve their business or make their life easier.
Playing The Long Game:
As I said at the start of this section networking will not provide you with immediate results. It takes time to build up trust, if you met an accountant today would you immediately give him your business? Probably not, if you met that accountant and over time got to know and trust him/her then it’s far more likely that you would use his/her services if you required them.
Even if you’re networking with people who don’t need your services it can still be very worthwhile. If you attend a weekly/monthly networking event with say 12 people, if you only try to sell to those 12 people you are significantly minimising your chances of success. Everyone has their own network of friends, family, colleagues and other networking groups; your task is to get each person within your chosen networking group to be acting as your representative. This isn’t something that will happen overnight; again you need to build trust within your networking group. I like to offer referral fees as an added incentive to people within my networking groups who pass me work so that they benefit financially from sending me work and it makes them more likely to continue promoting my business.
When you trust the people in your networking group it is good practice to send referrals their way. If you know someone who needs flyers making and there’s a printer in your group put them in touch with each other. You may benefit from a referral fee but more importantly you will be cementing a relationship with the printer. From experience when I send someone a quality referral that results in work within a few months they have sent me at least one quality referral.
Be sure to only send referrals when you are confident that the person in question completes work to a high standard. It can be damaging for you and your business if you make a connection with someone who provides poor quality work or doesn’t pay their invoice!
In closing the above points should help you get off to the best possible start with networking. I’m sure you will find that you will learn a great deal more from actually getting out there and meeting people. All that you have to do now is find an event and set your alarm for 5.30am!