Feature: Communications & Marketing
Unlock the power of networking
striking up a conversation and starting to build relationships – something as human beings we do virtually every day of our lives in one way or another.
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You never know who you will meet in an informal situation Networking doesn’t have to take place at an organised event - there are plenty of opportunities every day to meet new people. I myself have met lots of interesting people while travelling to Manchester over the last few months for work. On a snowy day in January I met a man on the platform waiting for our
train; we struck up a conversation and found out what each other did. We now have a meeting planned to discuss how my networking skills training may help his colleagues. Little did I know that I would meet a potential client on a chilly station platform – that’s what I love about networking! It’s important to always be authentic – networking is not about selling
but if someone asks you what you do then don’t be afraid to tell them but tell them succinctly – this is your elevator pitch. You never know what might come from a simple conversation with another person.
any people find the thought of networking daunting - walking into a room full of strangers and approaching people you don’t know! For me, networking is simply meeting new and interesting people,
Focus on ‘giving’ rather than ‘selling’ Think about how you feel if someone tries to sell you their product or service when you first meet them. It’s important to focus on how you can help other people instead - we are all experts in our own fields and will have useful information to share with others in our network who we can introduce them to. If you are at a networking event where you know others and meet someone for the first time, act as the host and introduce people to each other – this is another way of giving. You can also give online via social media – liking, commenting on and
sharing others’ posts is a way of giving as is tagging others in your posts. Last year I shared a post about a Human Resources role – an HR professional in my network saw it, applied for it and was successful. She kindly put a post on LinkedIn, tagged me and reminded us of the power of sharing other’s posts. If I hadn’t shared that post, then she wouldn’t have found (what she called) her dream job. Social media is networking online.
Always follow up and do what you say you will Networking and building relationships takes time. For others to refer you to people in their network they need to ‘Know’, ‘Like’ and ‘Trust’ you - three key words in networking. If you say that you will send information to someone or make an introduction, then make sure you do it. If you don’t, then the trust won’t be there, and people won’t refer you to their contacts. If you haven’t followed up with them, they will presume, rightly or wrongly, that you won’t follow up with anyone they refer you to which will reflect badly on them. Always send a personalised message when you connect with someone
on LinkedIn. You wouldn’t go up to someone at an event and simply poke them! The same applies to online networking – if you have met someone at an
event then follow up with a personalised connection request mentioning where you met them. There are two reasons for this – firstly, a personalised message helps you
start to build that all important relationship. Secondly in the future it will remind you of where you met them. A little tip – if you are connecting via the LinkedIn App, don’t press ‘Connect’ – click on the three dots to the right, which gives you the option to personalise your request. This does take time, but I believe it’s time well spent. Finally, as mentioned – networking is about meeting new and interesting
people and who knows what will come out of that. Since becoming self- employed last year all my work has come via existing or new contacts in my network for which I am grateful. I would like to finish with a final thought – the power of a smile. A smile
can help you feel more confident when you meet someone new and help those you meet feel welcome and relaxed. Happy networking!
By Sarah Stanley (pictured), Coach and Connector
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