Beata Leyland
Business Owner & Author of this article
Some people hate networking events exactly because they forgot ( ie. due to stress ) why they are there in the first place and desperately share their business cards or try to make friends.
Intrigued ?
Goals
If you want to make friends, groups sharing same hobby might be a safe and good start.
You wouldn’t feel so awkward, common ground is already there and even the worst introvert will be able to find someone to have a nice conversation with.
Imagine someone who loves fishing like you. By approaching a stranger sharing same passion you can gain company for the next fishing trip!
What if we want to learn and grow?
Maybe local community, association of freelancers, Project Managers? Specialist will be a good idea. You don’t need to be freelancer or specialist to be part of it, the fact that you aspire to be one will already open you the door. As a new person you will come with fresh mindset, ideas, doubts and there are so many people ready to help you!
Disclaimer.
In such events you can also be the subject of sales pitch by organisers, or one of the people from the crowd. If it’s a subtle presentation of a company all is fine, but when you see somebody trying to force you to buy their product, be firm and say NO or go to organisers to report it. Such events should help people connect.
What if you want to sell? Well, maybe trade fairs or events for high executives will be a good choice. You can meet so many great potential clients, promote your brand, and exchange business cards.
What about networking online?
There are so many great groups to join!
In fact, the sky is the limit, and it’s a choice which one. Again, be aware of sales strategies, some are better than others.
Nowadays they are so many great summits online. You can come across many talented people as speakers and participants. It’s a great opportunity to learn, see trends, and network.
Most likely people there are like you and want to grow and that’s a fantastic place to start a conversation, connect via LinkedIn, schedule a call and understand what the other side offers, and how you can help each other.
People during such events can teach you where you want to be not only by cold knowledge but by attitude, behaviour and the fact that charisma can be understood so differently. Get inspired, follow people who can teach you and remain teachable.
Networking is more about farming than it is about hunting.Ivan Misner
Intention and Attitude
Some people hate networking events exactly because they forgot ( ie. due to stress ) why they are there in the first place and desperately share their business cards or try to make friends.
Imagine a situation when someone who just created a new company goes to trade fairs.
Such an opportunity for a marketing team, promotion, exchanging business cards yet so many people go to trade fairs and don’t know what to do.
Passive participants are subject to aggressive salesmen, or any salesmen who comes there to sell and will use all possible tactics under the sun to persuade you to buy.
It works so well on many inexperienced business owners. You need to remember what you are there for and use your time wisely.
Being passive means you give opportunity for someone else to be active.
That’s why is so important to be prepared.
Do your research, mark which companies you would like to talk to and just do it. If you need more time, they will be happy to schedule a call with you after the show or go for a coffee/lunch/dinner. It’s better to go to the trade show and speak with 3 companies than be introduced to 20 which you might not need.
If your goal is to see what is currently going on in the industry, having short conversations with multiple companies might be a good idea, same if you want to promote yourself that’s a great tactic.
Simply you need to understand that work related trade shows and events are not a place to make friends (can be over time) but at the beginning you need to stay focused on your goal otherwise you will lose time and money.
As trade shows usually take place over a few days it is great to keep it in mind as 8 hours 3 days straight in a crowded venue can be extremely exhausting.
Make a plan, be strategic.
How to talk to people?
The best option is simply to be straightforward out of respect to the company and your time.
Introduce yourself, tell the company how you found them (if you know each other online will be way easier! ), describe why you are approaching them and how you see potential cooperation.
That way you will be perceived as serious, respectful and worth to talk to! Also, remember that people can sense your intention better than you think, so showing genuine curiosity really works miracles.
What I’ve just described is really a high- level view as the art of pitching really is an art and you really need to understand how to make people think that you are the only right choice they have.
Presenting your offer since the beginning can be a mistake (you need to read the room) especially as during a conference there are hundreds of people who try to sell themselves, so read the room before opening your mouth.
Try to stand out for a right reason and be remembered.
Also be open for something new, as like you many companies are new and very keen to meet others.
Remember to listen in order to understand, not to respond during conversations!
When is a good time to network?
Anytime you feel ready, to be frank.
So many companies wait until their website will be ready as they wish, until merch will be polished but what people really remember is your attitude, approach, what you can do and how you can do it.
I started to attend meetings for freelancers before I became one and maybe I didn’t understand everything what they were talking about, but it gave me enough solid knowledge and insights to start.
As a growing small or mid-sized company aspiring to expand you should attend trade shows, conference meetings, and seminars to see what people do, how they do it, get inspired, cross your comfort zone, and connect.
Networking, like marketing, is a part of company strategy / your strategy (the same logic you can use in your private life).
When you define your goals, prepare yourself, stick to the plan but also remain open for the new you will see that this is not a scary part of your work.
It’s quite the opposite as you can meet new people, come across new ideas, get inspired and grow on so many levels. People can sense genuinely good businesses and quality (for good and bad reasons!) but don’t be afraid to be yourself in the frame of business.
The art of networking can be intimidating for all of us, no matter how introverted or extraverted we are.
The main question is: what we want to achieve?
What’s our intention?
How we want to approach people and when?
Let me know what you think.
What’s your experience with networking?
If you are searching for someone who knows how to successfully network and already has such connections worldwide, give us a try and we can positively surprise you with the outcome and quality which we can add to your entity!