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network / nétwerk n. & v. a group of people who exchange information, contacts, and experience for professional or social purposes. (The Oxford Dictionary)
If you were to ask ten different people what networking means to them you could get as many as different answers. How an individual would define it would largely depend on their use of this very important professional and personal activity.
It is important to remember that networking is about the exchanging of information, contacts or experience. This is the same whether you network to make new friends, find a new job, develop your current career, explore new career options, obtain referrals or sales leads, or simply to broaden your professional horizons
Wherever you are in your career and whatever industry you work in networking helps you make connections in a personal way, which will help to build relationships of support and respect that can help you to discover and create mutual benefits.
More than a talent, networking is a skill – or a set of skills. Every conference, meeting, lecture and social event is an opportunity to meet people.
It is a skill set no serious professional woman of the 21st century can be without. Back to top
Some Basic “How to” Networking Tips
- Start with a purpose. It does you no good to attend any networking function unless you know why you are there and what you want to get out of the event.
- The name- tag is worn on the right side to provide an easy sight-line to your name when shaking hands.
- Have an effective handshake - you have probably been on the receiving end of at least one "bone-crusher" and one "limp fish” so practice your handshake to avoid giving one of those yourself!
- Introduce yourself!
- A good way to introduce yourself is by saying your first name twice and then your surname. (I'm Sue. (pause) Sue Jones) This gives people time to absorb your name.
- Shake hands.
- Describe who you are or what you do in ten seconds or less.
- When appropriate, offer a business card and ask the other person for one of his or hers. Sometimes it is more appropriate to exchange business cards when you leave one another.
- Once the event is over, your networking doesn't stop! Make sure to follow up with those you've met, keep in contact, share information and offer to help in any way you can.
- You can send a written acknowledgement either by email or a "Thank You" note to your networking contacts.
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Create Conversations for Success (Networking Tips)
While the people at Day-Timers have trademarked the slogan: "It's all about you," the most important thing to remember about networking is, "It's NOT all about you." Why? Because the best networkers make it all about other people. Their focus is, "What do you need? How can I help you?" It's connecting with, and making connections for, other people. The first step is meeting people and finding out who they are and what's important to them.
Within the last six months, just a few of the people I've met were: a man representing a document shredding company, a man representing a temporary housing service for executives, a credit counsellor, an insurance broker, and a woman who creates memory albums of prose, poetry and photos for special occasions. That's a pretty diverse bunch! I had no need for their services, but I collected their cards and asked about their work. Since meeting them, I've encountered people who did need their services. I passed on the information. That's networking.
Networking begins with having conversations - making a bit of contact with the people who show up in our lives. Everyone has a story to tell. Your job is to find out what the story is. Sometimes it's about what work they do; sometimes it's not. When people learn that I'm a coach and a retired therapist, they often tell me personal stories that say who they are (aside from what they do). The people you meet want to get to know you and to feel that you know them.
So you know what networking is, but where and when do you do it? All the time and everywhere - at the gym, the post office, a football game. Talk to the woman in the checkout line. Introduce yourself to the guy in the lift and the one sitting next to you on a plane. And, yes, go to those networking events that most people dread - those awkward mixers where a lot of people stand around with drink in hand wondering, "Who can I talk to?" Remember that 90 percent of the people there have the same thought ("I hate this."). They want to talk and will welcome a chance to do it. You can be part of the 90 percent (wondering how soon you can leave) or part of the 10 percent who are doing something else.
How do you do "something else"? When you walk in, take TWO of those sticky nametags. On the second one, write something that invites people to approach you. Here are some icebreaker ideas to get your mind working:
Jim is a funny guy, and he's really good at telling jokes. He chooses his current favourite joke and writes on the second tag, "Ask me about ___." For example, if his joke is about a priest, a rabbi and a crocodile, he'll write, "Ask me about the crocodile."
But jokes are not everyone's style. Don't try to transform yourself into a comedian if that doesn't fit your personality. Martin makes networking a game of information exchange. His tag says, "What do we have in common?" He won't accept anything obvious like, "We both live in London" or "We're both wearing blue shirts." He asks about work, hobbies, family, schools attended, favourite cities, etc. In five minutes, Martin can find something in common with almost anyone. People listening are intrigued; they line up to be his next subject. And they remember him.
Sally's business is taking tourists (and locals) on walking tours of her city. Her tag promotes that business: "Have: city secrets -- Need: comfortable shoes." Barbara used a have/need tag to find a job. Sam used it to meet people and find a new flat (after a dramatic rent increase): "Have: greedy landlord -- Need: new flat."
Bill works in PR and wants to show people how creative he is. He likes to use nonsense questions on his tag. One of them is: "Did you walk to the market or carry a magazine?" It's his way of getting attention and letting prospects know that he'll get attention for them, too, in creative ways. You can make up your own. When people ask, "What does that mean?" you've started a conversation.
If you're looking for reasons not to network, it's easy to collect stories from people who say, "Networking didn't help me!" But those are conversations for excuses. How about choosing to be part of the other group - the people who network every day, make connections and offer to help others? Those are conversations for success. Which sounds best to you?
This article is excerpted from  (http://www.vault.com/europe). Reprinted with permission.
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Networking on the Phone
"Cold calling is probably the single most feared and dreaded thing in the business," says Ed Harper a full-service investment broker with Prudential Bache securities. Harper understates his explanation a bit when he explains that "for most people it's against their nature to call somebody they don't know, and try to get them to give you their money." But take heart: "You get better at it as you go on. If you don’t get better at it, unless you're a motivational person naturally, you’re probably going to have problems."
In our rush-rush age of efficiency, we'll all have problems if we can't use the phone effectively. We may not have to make hundreds of cold calls a day, but sooner or later, we'll probably have to make an important call that may be relatively cold, whether that call involves calling up a potential mentor, or making a pitch about the company we're starting.
Here are some tips on networking on the phone from those whose living depends on it:
"You tell them what you're doing, but first you ask if they might be busy, if there might be a better time," says Harper. "You say "This is so and so from here and here, do you have a moment to talk'?" This is the first important lesson of introducing yourself on the phone. Just imagine that the other person has someone in his or her office, and hears a person talking like there's no tomorrow. It sounds like a simple and obvious step, but unless you consciously check yourself, you can fall into it, propelled by nervousness or aggressiveness. "I always ask if they have time to talk," Harper says. "One of the big mistakes people make, is, they'll introduce themselves, say "I'd like to interest you in this idea?" and they're off and running. There could be someone at their desk, and (the broker) doesn't even realise the prospect can't even talk."
So say the person you're calling is willing to listen. What next? On the phone, keeping the person’s interest is a lot like keeping that individual’s interest in-person. As a literary agent, Victoria Sanders often pitches projects to editors over the phone in a matter of thirty seconds. "You have to have a really hot and snappy pitch," she says. "The biggest thing is you've got to be able to give them a hook. The first question you have to ask is who's the market, who's going to buy it. You've got to help them sell this to the marketing people, because if they won't take it, it won't get sold. In major houses, it's about marketing."
Still, Sanders says that even in a short and intense pitch, one should try to build rapport outside a strictly professional relationship, and that if things go well or a relationship has already been established, a pitch call can be five to ten minutes. "It depends on your relationship with the editor. A lot of it's schmoozing - you talk about other things, and then you get to the pitch, or you talk about the pitch and you talk about the other things. It's all about personal relationships."
Sanders' comments point to the fact that even in a brief conversation, we can apply the major tenets of schmoozing. By concentrating on a "hook," Sanders is concentrating on what the relationship means to the other person, in this case, the editor. By making a conversation outside of the business talk, Sanders is applying the social first, or at least, social always, part of the schmoozer's mindset.
This article is excerpted from (http://www.vault.com/europe). Reprinted with permission.
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General Networking Questions
- What do you do?
- How long have you done it?
- What do you enjoy most about what you do?
- What types of individuals or companies do you typically work with?
- Why do people typically come to you? What kinds of problems do you solve?
- How did you get into this field?
- What do you find most challenging in your role?
- How or where do you find most of your business?
- In what geographical areas does your company deliver services?
- Oh, you’re with _________. I’ve heard great things about your company. How long have you worked there?
- What do you like most about ____________?
- Would you be interested in getting together for lunch sometime? I’d enjoy the opportunity to learn more about you and your firm. My clients see me as a resource and, who knows, at some point you might be able to solve challenges faced by one of my clients.
- You mentioned earlier that your company is going through phenomenal growth. I’ve done a great deal of work with firms like yours. I have a couple of ideas that might help you with some of the challenges you are facing. Would you like to get together for lunch sometime? I’d be happy to share my ideas with you.
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Conclusion
Networking can be highly rewarding. However there are enough horror stories around to suggest it can also be potentially devastating if you act rudely, insensitively, or ignore the needs and desires of others.
Remember the most critical part, which is crucial to your success, is that you treat networking as an exchange of ideas, information and experience. You are not selling or simply telling or "sponging" off of others for your own benefit.
Be generous in sharing your talents, experiences, and ideas, and always be respectful of those around you.
Have fun and good luck!!!
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