the art of networking
DESCRIPTION
Business networking tipsTRANSCRIPT
Thoughts and tips on successful business networking
Mike Love
Define the business objective
• Every Mayor, Council Leader, Planning Chair, and Education Chair
• Every MP• The PM, every Opposition
Leader• Half of the Cabinet
• >100 new stores in 2001
Why
• Win business• Retain business• Hire talent• Personal development
Who, what, where, when and how…
• Relevance• Timing• Content• Right place, right time,
right way
Being professional
• Create opportunities• Build reputation• Personal Brand• Be a disrupter• Take it seriously
Hosting
Hosting
• Showing off our office• Casual to very formal• Business to Entertainment• All about us to sponsoring
Visiting
• Clubs, societies, groups• Alumni• Associations• Conferences• Events
Mixing
• Overlapping communities and networks
• Connections are not always friends, but friends can often be connections
• Use but do not abuse personal contacts
6 Degrees of Separation
• People who know people• Decision-makers• Influencers• Referrers• Introducers
Talking and listening
• Make a plan• Message House• Follow ups
Be choosy
• Attendees not speakers• What’s happening around
the event• What can you get invited to• Have a reason to be there
TIPS: Face to Face
• Prepare• Introduce properly• Remember (repeat) names• Deliver key messages• Listen, listen, listen!• Search for synergies• Collect memories• Card etiquette• Dress code• You are not at a party – so don’t party! • Notes for follow-up• Follow-up!
TIPS: Virtual
• Catch-ups and reminders by emails, SMS, IM and Tweets … even phone calls are OK
• Don’t use as an excuse for not networking F2F
• For some people virtual can be better• Target people who live online• Online etiquette
Excuses
• Keeping up to speed with job changes and moves
• Watching for news on restructuring, brand initiatives, product development, issues trending
• Identifying opportunities (excuses) to connect
Data
• Networking is a data collection exercise
• Record contacts made, information collected and follow-ups to make
• Diarise catch-up calls, meetings and reminders
• Share!
Keep it fresh
• People move• Roles develop• Companies restructure• Technology changes
• Where is the next place to be and the new people to know?
Identify opportunities
Discuss!