The Womens Business Clubs
Top Networking Tips from Kelly Stevens of The Womens Business Clubs
1. Relax! Everyone attending a networking event is there to meet with other people, so the majority of them will WANT to talk to you!
2. Don’t go into ‘sales mode’. Listen more than you speak.
3. Getting financial success from networking can take time. So focus on the other benefits such as the rewarding personal relationships, inspiration, and good ideas that you can get from mixing with others in business. It helps to make you more patient than if you were just looking for commercial rewards.
4. It takes time to build up a relationship but it is so worth it. Learning more about the person you talk to rather than trying to get the business straight away for yourself is so much more interesting.
5. Networking is about building relationships to help you build your business, so think of each person as another brick in the wall of success
6. Remember to take business cards! At the very least it ensures that you look business-like.
7. If you can’t make it along to a meeting then give your apologies. It pays to be courteous in the business world
8. Don’t ‘spam’ with a general ‘nice to meet you’ email after an event. If you contact people you met at an event make sure that you send a personal email and that you have something relevant to say.
9. Probably the most important! Remember… the main objectives to going to formalised networking events should be to make contacts and increase your reputation.
10.Have fun and enjoy yourself! Think of networking events as the chance to get out of the office and socialise. It will make you more likely to make it along to events, and then you will have the top three traits of a successful networker which are:
1. They turn up
2. They turn up again
3. They turn up AGAIN!
Kelly Stevens