The A B C of networking

By Paul Johnstone

DO you measure up?

The A. B. C of Networking
A list of things you may have missed.

Enjoy

A. Aspire to reach your full networking potential
B. Believe in your self and your offerings
C. Create good offerings to fellow networkers
D. Deliver what you promise
E. Enthuse others
F. Forgive others, we all make mistakes so help them
G. Give before you receive
H. Help support and encourage other to succeed
I. Integrity is vital to your success.
J. Join In; help your group by contributing.
K. Kindness and manners will repay you in spades.
L. Local networking = local business miles
M. Mentor new members to success
N. Nurture others so they reach their potential
O. Organise your networking activities
P. Planning is essential to your success
Q. Quality in everything.
R. Respect others in the group
S. Sixty Seconds hold the key
T. Think before you act
U. Understand you networking goals
V. Volunteering will help your club
W. Work the Room
X. Excuses are never the best way ahead
Y. You should strive to improve
Z. Zest for life and networking

Helping Real People do Real business through Real Networking

A Crash course in networking

I received a telephone call yesterday from a journalist. He was writing a piece for a local paper and wanted to pick my brains on the subject of networking.

He wanted to know how quickly you could expect a return on your money from Networking activities. And he was asking the usual polemic questions about Networking clubs and money.

What are the keys to success in networking and again how much does it cost. How quickly you see results.

I had to tell him he had missed the point.

Why had he missed the point? Simply because everyone is different and every company will have different objectives form the next. If you are a jobbing printer you should start to see a return quickly.

But if you are selling conservatories, one quality connection a year will more than cover any networking expenditure.

Don't expect results immediately - it's all about developing relationships and that takes time. Time to create trust based relationships that deliver business year after year after year. Take time to invest in your networking.

Nurture relationships. Grow people and your investment will be rewarded many, many, many times.

Paul

Helping Real People do Real Business through Real Networking

Taking the ……

I was at an event the other day where everyone was given the usual 60 seconds presentation slot.

You know it’s funny how often some people push the envelope and think they are being smart.

If the club you go to offers you 60 seconds, the perfect presentation will finish just short of 60 seconds.

Yesterday there was a presentation that went on and on and on. A colleague later told me tit had gone on for a few seconds short of three minutes.

One of the attributes that helps you win more business with your networking activities, is Good Manners. 60 seconds is the norm in most weekly clubs and it is good manners to stick to that.

If you have been at a networking club where someone overruns have you noticed the rest of the group? Almost all of them have stopped listening. Once the 60 second rule is established people expect 60 seconds. When you push the envelope what usually happens is the speaker looses focus and starts to ‘Dump’ information on the audience.

The net result is people don’t listen, visitors are confused, and you have lost your audience.

Its 60 seconds for a reason, it’s the time most people are comfortable with. Speaking and Listening.

Paul

Helping Real people do Real business through Real networking

The 7 Keys to profitable Networking PART 2

Being Regular

The More Often -The Better and it Builds Trust

Two things influence how others see you at networking events are Trust and how often you attend. It’s funny that some people believe you can dip in and out of a network and still be regarded as someone to do business with.

Attending regularly helps build trust with fellow members. When you go to every meeting, or as many as you can other members really get to know you. With your regular attendance you have the opportunity to talk each time with all the other members.

OK so stuff happens in business and there are times when you really can’t attend, and that should be accepted by your network group. If your group cannot accept that occasionally business needs attention I would question them.

Be honest it is the regular attendance that helps you build the trust based relationships that generate connections year on year. It is this constant contact that works, not being told you must come every time or we will not let you join in the meetings.

It’s interesting I have been involved in Networking for many years. And I have never lost a customer or lost the opportunity to present to a prospect through attending my networking club.

I am always pleasantly surprised that when I asked for a 9AM meeting when I answer: “I have a breakfast appointment with my marketing person, that is due to end at 9. Is 9:30 or 10:00 OK with you?

Not once have I been turned down or lost an appointment. In fact the opposite has happened. I have gone up in the estimation of prospects that I meet people for breakfast to improve my business.

Paul

Helping Real People do Real Business through Real Networking

The 7 Keys to Profitable Networking PART 1

In the beginning!

Many years ago when I first got involved in Business to Business networking I was keen, and eager. Why? Because I could see what networking could do for my business!


I got the benefits - I got the ethos and bought into the ideal.

But, boy I missed lots of opportunities, I missed out on business.

All because I was the centre of the universe and it was my universe.

All because my techniques of by being eager and enthusiastic, I failed to grasp the main point.

It was like when I just passed my driving test, all I looked at was the road straight in front of me, and missed 80% of the other information essential to success.

What I focused on was only one tiny aspect of networking.

There are those who simply measure their success by counting times someone attends, or the number of pieces of paper passed between attendees. Or spend time working on how many times people interacted with the web site.


Then there are those who graze and talk occasionally to people, or attend a function and spend most of the time at the food / drinks table.


All of these examples are real and they exist and they miss the point of networking.


“Networking is the single most cost effective route to market there is.” Don’t take my word for it, all of the dragons from Dragons Den say so on their web sites, blogs and publications.


My main error: When I started out was thinking business to business networking was selling. Not on your life. It is NOT selling; it is telling people how your product or service can help them with their clients.


You may like to take a moment to reflect on the previous point:- Networking is “The most cost effective route to market there is.”


You have the opportunity to tell your story. Show how you can help. Demonstrate how you have helped other members. Teach members how you can solve their problems and how you can help them with their customers.


At one off networking events you have the opportunity to talk to people who can do great things for your company. But this needs focus and that is covered in part 4 of this series, talking to Plum Prospect.


Lets say you want to get an introduction to a company and provide them with your accounting software. Talk about saving time on sales and general ledgers. Talk about access to problem solving on accounts packages. Talk about how businesses upgrade from a ‘simple’ system to a suite of programmes and how these can grow with them and their business.


What you are doing is demonstrating to the prospect you understand the issues business people have and you are interested in them.


By focusing on one single aspect of a multi facet opportunity is a false economy. By looking at what else is around the road you will be better prepared to take advantage of the situation.


Paul


Helping Real People do Real Business through Real Networking

Have Good Manners, keep your integrity - build trust and reputation

When you get invited to someone’s house for a dinner party or just a social gathering, it is important to introduce yourself as well as say good by to the host when you leave. Networking is just the same and good manners count for a lot. It is the same with following through on a promise which helps keep your integrity.

Sometimes a situation arises which tempts us to do something for a quick return that is harmful in the long run. It could cause harm or upset that could have been avoided. Making such a mistake can damage personal integrity.

We are all human; mistakes happen. If you do make a mistake or wrong decision - whether it significantly undermines your integrity or not - always admit it and apologise. Far too many people these days live in business by the creed of never apologise. I believe that is because they do not have confidence in their products, or are naive enough to believe that is the way to behave.

Failing to apologise when you are in the wrong- damages a person's integrity and reputation far more than the original misjudgement itself.


Having the ability to own up to an error not only shows you care but actively demonstrates that you are grown up enough to understand. By that understanding you demonstrate to your client / fellow networker you have integrity.


We only need to think of how we view people in high and public authority, notably politicians, when they fail to take responsibility and admit their mistakes, then complain that voter numbers are down!


People of low integrity sooner or later find that the only friends they have left are other people of low integrity. Or as you may call them the cowboy tradesmen, sharp practice suppliers and foot in the door salesmen.

Significantly, integrity and good manners are vital for trust to develop. Trust is simply not possible without integrity. And networkers depend on the trust based relationship that develop over time and deliver business year after year.


So next time you visit a networking event make sure you shake hands with the host on the way out as well as on the way in


Paul


Helping Real people do Real business through Real Networking

No 2 Be different and be ambitious

Networking can be a great advantage when assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your offering to the market. In any market place to succeed you must have something that sets you apart, better customer service, a personal touch, better quality products, more competitive pricing or a quicker response time?

Because, if there is no special difference between you and other providers, then people have no reason whatsoever to choose to work with you. All you are is what some people call a ‘me to’ company. As in we do that and we sell that, why should people use you over the competition? Look again at how you describe your business offering or yourself as a person, what's different or special compared with all the others?

If there is no difference, it is important for your long term prosperity that you find a way to create one.

Sometimes this is as simple restating or placing different emphasis on what you already are and already do.

Your difference must be something that plenty of people will find appealing. It is a killer if you can also make it irresistible. If you are struggling to find a difference or market advantage, look at your competitors and talk to your customers, and find out what's missing. Better still find out what can be improved to give you the edge. There is always something you can improve, often as simple as bundling two or three market advantages together.

This difference needs to shine out in your elevator speech, and be echoed in your subsequent discussions whenever initial interest develops towards supplying something, or putting a collaborative project together.

Always set your sights as high as possible when thinking about and expressing yourself and your aims. Remember though to be realistic, but aim to be the best and to lead in some way, in whatever specialism you operate in.

Your aims should also suggest what you are seeking from business networking - otherwise, there's no reason for you to be networking.

One of the 7 keys to successful networking are mutually beneficial one-to-one meetings, where each party gets something from the other. These can, if you are not careful turn into selling sessions. And as we know Networking is telling and NOT selling.

One-to-one meetings work best when you exchange information and connections. This is building a strong network through connections that are helpful for your aims.

Top-Tip Take your contact list with you when you next have a one-to-one and share your top three clients with your networking colleague.

Business networkers want to work with other networkers, especially those who are ambitions. It makes sense to align yourself with those who are going places. The sort of people who are always looking for things that will enhance their offering and help them grow. Sometimes called change, .but the end result is improved market offering.

These attitudes make things happen.

Isn’t it great to meet like-minded networkers, who you can share these attitudes with? Why, you know, your network will grow because they'll see you can make things happen too. So remember you have two ears and one mouth, please use them in that proportion and you will be successful.

Paul

Helping Real people do Real Business through Real networking