With the help of the Internet, networking is easier than ever. People can contact you by email, phone, or even in person. This is great, but establishing the connection is the first step, and it usually requires an in-person meeting. Crossed arms, monosyllabic answers, and fear itself can make you unapproachable. As a networker, being approachable is important. Little things like smiling when talking or finding a common interest can put a potential client at ease.
Most networkers underestimate the importance of creating a bond with the client. The point of networking is to create a strong relationship so that they will come back to you for answers and possibly give a referral. Ignoring their needs is the worst thing you can do. A bad networker will waltz up to a client and try to sell something to them as quickly as possible. This is horrible edict. If you are asked how you are doing or how work has been, answer; it will let them know you want to work with them. Small talk is very important so do not try to get out of it as quickly as possible
When talking with a client, do not give general answers. If you answer, "Fine." to how your day was you are not practicing good communication for good networking. 'Fine' is not an emotion, and is actually an acronym meaning Feelings I am Not Expressing. You want to be approachable and interesting. Say "Outstanding" or "Amazing" when asked a question like that. Try to think outside to the box or make a little joke if you are the type. It will throw people off balance and propel the conversation forward because they will want to know why. Be genuine and interesting.
With small talk out of the way, you can now give them your business card. The card can also be a make or break moment. Make sure it is professional looking and conveys all of your information. Since some people like to talk in person and others like to communicate by email, make sure all of your contact information is available. One big thing to check is that your email name is professional. Names like hottypants88 or daddyslittlegrl are not okay. Choose something simple like your given name and the name of your company. Make sure to keep your cards on you at all times; you never know when you will need one for unexpected networking.
Lastly, networking does not happen overnight. Creating strong business relationships takes time. If you are only networking because your boss said to, then you will not do well. Look to network when you do not need referrals or clients. Bad networking usually happens when people try to go for quantity instead of quality. They stop being personable and act like a card slinging machine trying desperately to get their name out there. When this happens, the card gets quickly discarded because no one will believe you are genuine. By failing to talk to those prospective clients, you become forgettable because there is no face attached to the name.
Networking does not just happen in conference rooms, it can happen anywhere. Elevators, airport terminals, and lines are great places to meet new clients. This is why you should always have your business cards with you. It would be horrible to find a great potential client and then not have a card to give them. No matter how interesting the conversation is, they will probably forget you without that card.
Make sure to ask for their card too. A bad networker will only had his card out and never take one. This makes people feel puny and unimportant. Show them that they are very important to you by asking for their card in return. Take their card and make sure to call them back after a few days. Tell them how nice it was to meet them and you would like to get together again. This lets them know you value them as a customer and a person.
