I went to a networking event last night and, within two hours, I had spoken to everyone in the room – about 25-30 people. I figure that if I maintain this record over the next 12 months, I will have the perfect six pack. All health freaks read on!
‘Working’ a room is genuinely hard if you do it correctly. Again I bumped into two lovely ‘couples’ eagerly talking to each other but none venturing to speak with any strangers. What’s the point? You won’t do any business with the man / woman who fries your eggs each day! Split up!
Enter the room with a stack of business cards in your pocket but try and glean a point of connection before handing them out. I hate people who just ask for my card and expect to give one in return when they don’t even know what I do. It’s almost bad manners!
Anyway, about the six pack. If you really work a room hard you will be exhausted after a couple of hours because of all the talking you’ve done. And, like a singer, if you chat from the diaphragm, your stomach will begin to hurt. It really will. That’s because a sense of urgency – the desire to get a point across – often forces you to push on your stomach muscles and that makes them ache. It’s far cheaper than a gym and you are in serious danger of developing a six pack! Try it some time. If you’re not sure how to start take this tip….aim to speak to 20-25 people within two hours but make your ‘contacts’ count so that you have at least a couple of solid leads next day. If you aren’t tired at the end of your onslaught, you’re doing it wrong!
This resonates with me. I love networking and talking to people and hearing about their passions for their business.
People always think of the here and how when it comes to networking, but it’s about the longevity of it all. For my business 90% new business comes from recommendations and referrals, so it’s imperative for me to be continually looking for new strategic partners or clients.
Being a savvy networker is the key to success. Networking is more than just exchanging business cards. It’s about listening to the people you meet and understanding your business. Building your crediblity networking, will give the people you meet an insight into how you run your business and treat clients. Is your more interested in talking about your business – what kind of message does that send?