Why bother networking?

I meet with many charity managers and I regularly get asked how important networking is… Do they really have to go to that event, do they really have to speak to people they don’t know and does it really make a difference anyway!

This is a great question and a really important one for anybody who is thinking about building successful relationships to benefit their charity work.

The truth is that networking is vital to the success of your organisation however, I know how daunting it can be. I have been there, messed up, embarrassed myself and done it all over again.

So, this article will give you some key tips that will help you become a successful networker, but before that lets look at the benefits that one networking event has brought to the charity organisation I work with.

It was 6:00am when the alarm went off, I really didn’t have time for the meeting this morning, it was an event to bring charity managers together to talk about potential new ways of working with the local council with the lure of a possible partnership and funding opportunity- mega important!

I parked the car and started to feel a little nervous about what to expect, who would be there, I walked in the room slightly late and everyone had gathered in their groups of 3 or more to chat. Who’s group should I join? Who looked the most welcoming? Everyone was busy talking so I headed for the tea/coffee- now I had my mug of tea- where did I go now? It was awkward, embarrassing and humiliating that a grown woman like myself didn’t have the confidence to walk up to the group and start conversing!

I did the thing that most people do when they feel awkward – I got my phone out! While peeking over the phone just in-case anyone wanted to speak to me. I decided that I didn’t want to be there, I wanted to leave. I scanned the room for the nearest exit and made a bee-line for the door. Just before I got there a lovely lady jumped in front of me and said ‘Hi, I am Sarah, don’t you just hate these networking events? I instantly warmed to her…I had found a kindred spirit and I am so thankful for the day I met Sarah.

We chatted about the things we hated most about networking but we also exchanged ideas around the amazing opportunities.

From that one meeting, I met two people who wanted to create partnership work with us, two people who told me about a new funding opportunity that was available ( We got ￡15k from that!) and one person who has become my friend, and go to person to help me with any issues that arise – my sounding board.

It was, quite simply, the best two hours of my charity life!

So, how do you become a successful networker?

The process of networking builds connections that can later help facilitate transactions that can be beneficial for both parties. For charities, networking is even more crucial, because a non-profit organisation needs all the help that it can get to build connections and establish itself as a key player worthy of attention. The important thing to remember about networking is that it starts with people: you, as a representative of your charity, will be the one to start making those connections.

Don’t let your nervousness stop you from trying.

It’s natural to be nervous; talking to new people is hard, especially if you are a somewhat reserved person or are simply shy about coming up to people and introducing yourself. However, the crucial thing to remember is to never let nervousness stop you from putting yourself out there. I managed to get a new board member, obtain a new partner organisation and recruited two volunteers all from attending a charity networking event. Don’t put it off; get out from behind the desk and meet people, because you never know where it may take you!

Talk to strangers (Taken from Business Networking for Dummies by Stefan Thomas) 

I know that your parents probably told you not to talk to strangers when you were young so networking goes against everything you were told as a child!

Talking to strangers does fill many people with dread, but why?

Firstly, we convince ourselves that everyone is better than us, that everyone has a bigger and better run charity, they know more, they have more confidence etc, etc.

The best advice is not to focus on the people in the room: always keep in mind that you are also talking to everyone they know. Think beyond the room. Every connection- every real connection has value.

Remember that whether your networking efforts work, or not, is ultimately your responsibility. Rather than looking elsewhere for the ‘right’ people, have a look at your approach, refine, revisit, measure and make it work. 

Smile

This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s surprisingly easy to forget (especially if you are nervous), and is really the most important part of networking: smile! Be friendly, introduce yourself, shake hands, and overall give off the impression that you are interested in meeting the other person. People take their cues not only from what you say, but how you look, and an unsmiling face can look robotic and stop networking and relationship building in its tracks. If Sarah had not come up to me with a big smile, I would have run away.

Be a good listener

This one may seem strange – the point of networking is to get your message out there, right? In order to do that, though, you have to be a good listener – ask the other person questions, and respond to the things that they say. Show you are interested in them before talking about yourself and your own charity.

Follow up

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO FOLLOW UP - YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE IT MIGHT LEAD!

Exchanging information at the end of a conversation is one step, but in order to make that fruitful, you actually have to follow up: This is the most important thing you can do. You don’t want to walk away having done all the hard work with lots of connections and do nothing with the contacts you have made.

Call the person, email them, meet over coffee, whatever it takes to move your connection beyond the networking event. From there, you can go on to build a mutually beneficial relationship!

Here are 10 ways to improve your networking results:

1. Do more networking
2. Become part of the team running the group
3. Volunteer for the Ten-Minute slot
4. Take an honest look at your 40 second introduction
5. Attend meetings of many networking groups
6. Phone people
7. Run a mini-seminar after a networking event
8. Use social media
9. Make it easy for people to understand what you do
10. Understand that networking is working

To find out more about networking and in particular the 10 ways to improve, take a look at Stefan Thomas’s book ‘Business Networking for Dummies’ you can see it here.

What have your networking experiences been so far?

Until next time.

Caroline:-)