Why Networking?

I regularly hold productive networking lunches in different parts of the globe.  Over the past 6 years, these lunches have grown from two guests to around a hundred with a ‘lunch data base’ of close to a thousand.  The reason business professionals attend these lunches is because the whole focus of the event is on networking.  Importantly, during these events I use strategies to create introductions and ensure people make new connections.  Here’s why I network…

What Networking means to me…

• As an attendee at a networking event you have the ability to connect with others of similar values and understanding – in addition, you may be able to help each other out.
• It is a way of connecting with previous colleagues, and discovering what they are up to.
• Two degrees of Separation – both you and the person you are meeting can provide an extensive network through which one can connect to their (unknown) networks.  In so doing, you may find someone who may be able to help you.  On the other hand, you may find that you can provide help – be it personal, business, health or work.

Benefits you experience through networking…

• Networking will increase your personal and business exposure through individuals’ and their connections thus enabling a very efficient, effective and economical marketing vehicle.
• You get to know and benefit from the experience of great people – people you won’t know until you actually make the effort to meet them.
• Informal selling and interviewing occurs – through having your ready-made “elevator or lift speech” (something Bev will have spoken about) and by chatting with the individual people you meet.
• “I know a man who can” – the old RACV catch phrase really does work.  You can refer someone you have met and talked with.

Stories of my networking successes…

• I was able to acquire a business contract at a large multinational organisation after helping a networking colleague improve his health. As a consequence of this interaction, he wanted to help me and understood what I had to offer in the market place, and in particular his own firm. The rest was then left for myself to pursue.
• Attendance by a uni student at a networking lunch, and her help at the lunch, was noted by the Head of HR for a logistic company.  Sometime later The Head of HR had an immediate need for a PA at one of their subsidiaries. The Uni student was remembered because of the networking event and what she did in supporting it, got the job and has been a value add at that organisation ever since.

Networking tips…

• Pre-plan your desired outcome for each interaction with a new / current member before meeting
• Create a limited lift speech of your achievements / why you are good at what you do / what you are looking for in the market
• Open any networking meeting by asking what you can do for them
• Make mental notes / jot them down after the meeting
• Agree on actions at the meeting – a mini project “to do” list in an email with some / all of the other notes discussed
• Follow up with the e-mail within 72 but preferably 12 hours
• After your initial interaction and outcome, diarise a follow-up on a regular basis (say two weekly or monthly depending on the importance of the contact to you) to show you care and to maintain the new connection – you never know what will be around the corner
• Remember their birthdays and their job anniversaries as two more personal reasons for catching up
• A newsletter style follow-up is a good suggestion to discuss at the next coffee meeting
• Host an event of your key contacts, so that they may network between themselves with you as the common thread / contact
• Look across your network for where others may help another, but where only you know them both

Networking is not a dirty word…

Networking really is no different to normal product development and marketing through various channels. The way to look at networking is to see yourself as the product and the connections you build with each of your contacts as the channels. Today, those using social media such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and in particular companies, are finding these are better channels to the customer than mass adverting, which is something that individuals (networkers) cannot afford. Similarly, face-to-face networking will also help you develop your business while getting your message (product) across.