The #1 Tip to Rock Your Next Networking Event

Networking is overwhelming when you’re trying to meet new people who are also trying to meet new people. Many people mistakenly believe that to be a good networker you have to be a fast talker, quick thinker, or you need to talk to everyone. None of these are true. Networking is about building relationships. The best networkers are actually great at active listening. 

It sounds counter-intuitive, but the truth is the most memorable people at these types of events are the best listeners. Words that describe them include amenable, connective, and kind. They don’t find the conversation to be a competitive sport, instead it flows easily.

After years of successfully networking, growing my businesses and keeping the connections alive years later, I have helped many women master the skill of networking. No room is too large or too small. When you have a simple strategy, you will rock any networking event. Hopefully, you read part one, Prep for the Next Networking Event in these 5 Easy Steps, which discusses how to get ready. 

As a busy mom who needs to plan to leave the house, each event, meeting or other outing needs to be worth my time. Here are simple tips to make ensure success:

Scope out the room for strategic partners (see Part One for more information). Partners will be easier to spot. Clients are harder to find, so keep your ears open for possible leads as you work the room. 

Find people who are alone or left out of a conversation. It’s much easier to start a conversation with those who aren’t already engaged in one. Not only will it be pretty easy to talk to them, they’ll be happy to be engaged with someone. 

Start out the conversation with something obvious about you! Got bright blue hair? Tell them why you choose that color. Are you a six-foot tall woman? Open up and tell them whether you played or did not play basketball. If people commonly ask you the same question about your appearance or demeanor, it’s best to address it at the outset. That question will linger in their mind until they work it into the conversation or you bring it up. In other words, they won’t be listening to you, they’ll be thinking about that “thing”. Get it out of the way so that you can talk business.

As it flows in the conversation, give your elevator pitch. Tell them who you are, what you do, and most importantly, how you help them (and/or a referral). Give them your area of genius, then listen, also known as “Lead with the 10%, working with 90%”. Do not assume that this person is your target customer, so now listen.

Treat your business card like money. You should only give your card to those who seem willing and able to assist you in your career goals. If the other person isn’t excited about the prospect of receiving your card, you should not be excited about giving it. This tip applies to digital and physical cards. Contact information can be lost or discarded in either case. The one thing you don’t want to happen is hope that person is going to call when they have absolutely no intention to do so.

Ask questions and listen to the answers. As I mentioned before, people love to know others are listening to them. Networking is about relationship building. People do business with those they like, know and trust. As a stranger that walked up to them, you aren’t there yet, nor can you expect it to be. You may not generate a lead that day, as this is the first step in your connection. 

Ask a signature question that provokes a unique response! Bonus points if this question relates directly to your business, like “what’s your purpose in life?” for a life coach or “if you had $10,000, how would you invest it into your business?” for a grant writer.

Have I said listen yet?

This time, listen for unique details about that person. Is there a child starting college? If so, where? What’s their favorite baseball team? Really, this can be anything, just listen to what they say and they will give you all the information that you need. That way, when you contact them again, you can show them you remember them, and that they aren’t “one of the crowd”.

And finally, systematize your follow up. The key to any networking event is follow up! If you walk away and don’t contact any of these people, it would have been a waste of your time. One option is to write details of the event and the unique detail on the card before you leave. I do this in the car. Another is to save the info in a note on your phone. Try whatever you can to remember as much as you can about the people you’d like to follow up with.

With practice, these tips become second nature. How do you make the best out of every networking event?

April Noelle | Next Chapter Coaching