Distributing business cards is only one aspect of networking
During a business card exchange at a chamber of commerce event a few years back, a well-dressed woman stepped up to me, card in hand, and, in perfect form, held it in both hands in front of me, gesturing for me to receive it. I thanked her for the card and took it. She stood up, uttered a polite "thank you," and then left. The irony. Here was a woman who had good intentions and probably ran a cool company, but she had no idea what to do at a card exchange. She apparently bought into the myth that you should speed through the process of handing out business cards. This is a wasteful use of business cards. That's fantastic for the card industry, but not so much for yours.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the person who spends the entire card exchange talking to the same person, occasionally even coworkers. Again, this is a waste of time and effort. Meeting new people and making connections is why we exchange business cards.
While books like Sue Roane's How to Work a Room might help you refine your networking skills, the fundamentals of networking are straightforward.
Connections are what keep businesses going. Everything we do, I've always believed, revolves around human connections, and business merely provides the stage.
Card exchanges and other networking events are just the beginning of what you hope will be a mutually beneficial relationship, which is essential to the growth of your firm.
If you're short on time, it's smart to keep conversations brief, especially with people you already know. Make plans to reconnect with the person at a later time if your conversation strikes a chord, and then move on to the next person. The quiet-appearing person in the corner, who is presumably attending this meeting for the first time, surely has something worthwhile to contribute. Why don't you extend your hand and shake hands?
People who come to the networking event with a selfish mindset are another common mistake I observe. The best strategy is to start with curiosity about the other person. You might then choose to elaborate on why your line of work could be relevant to their needs. That's important because, as motivational speaker Zig Zigler once said, "You get what you want by helping other people get what they want." This paves the way for more effective communication.
Mind the other person's feelings.
There are more productive ways to meet potential business contacts and expand your network. First off (pardon the pun), if you exhibit genuine interest in other people and what they do, they will be more receptive to what you have to say. It's a cliche for a reason that humans have one mouth but two ears. If you learn to listen more than you talk, you'll find that people are naturally drawn to you.
Jay Abraham, a noted expert in marketing, once observed, "Discovery is the fuel of competitive advantage." Start wondering. Learn to care about the feelings and motivations of others. Consider the other person's feelings deeply. If you dig deep enough, you'll find that even the most average people have fascinating backstories. Not only will your chances of conducting business with them improve if you show an interest in them, but you may also make a friend.
Where do you even begin?
Introduce yourself in a way that highlights why working with you will be beneficial to the other party. In a very uninteresting way, introducing yourself as "Hi, my name is Mary, and I sell insurance" is your job description. But if you were to introduce yourself as Mary and explain that you work with clients to help them plan for the future, things would be different. The other person will likely inquire, "How do you do that?" if they are inquisitive. You've just set the stage for a "commercial" or extended explanation of your product or service. You can then proceed to list the advantages of your offerings.
Create a few different methods of introducing your company as a thought experiment. Put the spotlight on a different advantage of your product or service in each of them. Attend your next networking event and give each a try.
Keep in mind that consumers are not looking to acquire features or components, but rather value and convenience.
The more you emphasize the advantages of your products and services, the more business you will generate.
The Chamber of Commerce Card Exchange is a great place to network with other professionals while also enjoying some tasty fare. This is especially crucial now, as finding new business is becoming increasingly challenging.
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