We work with thousands of delegates when we hold our workshops, seminars and conferences and can confidently that state more than 98% of people don’t like networking, find it uncomfortable, or if they don’t mind it, generally find the results disappointing.
If you are in the professional and service sector most of your business comes from referrals, recommendations and introductions. That’s great; it shows you have a good name and provide a high level of service.
However…
Doesn’t this mean that you are fully dependent on third parties to dictate the speed of growth of your business? In other words, you are re-active and not proactive when it comes to marketing yourself, your firm and its services.
Take Control!
Becoming a more effective and more confident networker puts you in charge of how fast your top line of fees or sales increases.
Reading this will give you lots of simple advice and practical ideas on how to become the person who is comfortable attending any event and, when spotting potential opportunities, knows what to do to create additional business.
The guiding principle of networking is to give first and receive second. Experienced networkers have an ‘abundance’ mentality, looking to help others on every occasion.
“Give without remembering, receive without forgetting”.
Elizabeth Asquith Bibesco British Author & Poet (1897- 1945)
TIPS!
4. Be on standby; there are business opportunities everywhere when you’re awake, alive and alert. Think about seminars, conferences, exhibitions, trains or planes. Where there are people there are business opportunities-but you have to talk to them!
5. Enter your invitations into your calendar and treat them as an important meeting. When you want to grow your business and raise your profile you must go out and meet new people or reinforce existing relationships.
6. Network with existing clients or customers. They are your very best source of referral if you are giving them a good service.
More tips to follow in the next blog…
Words by Will