In business – closing the deal, achieving success, and moving to the next level can sometimes be as much about who you know as it is about what you know. This doesn’t mean that having friends in the right places is always a fast ticket to the top, it means that creating networks of the right kind of people can drive your success to new levels.
If you shy away from networking opportunities then you are missing out on the chance to progress in the present and in the future.
If networking isn’t your strong suit or you want to improve how you engage with potential opportunities follow these six easy steps to get you started.
- Do your homework – having an understanding of what the people in your circles do for a living will help you identify opportunities for your business.
- Be open – create conversation, introduce yourself, initiate further contact
- Be available – listen to others, give advice when asked, offer help where needed, be available for further discussion or contact
- Follow up – once you have made a connection follow up with an email or phone call to establish the connection further
- Put yourself out there – attend seminars, workshops or networking meetings to widen your circle of contacts
- Do a good job – when you are working with someone, providing a service or offer advice do a good job and go above and beyond to exceed expectations, this will create referrals.
Networking is about building relationships, not about selling. Create mutually beneficial relationships with people you know will be able to benefit from what you offer.
Simple body language techniques like smiling, making eye contact and a firm handshake go a long way to building good networks for your business.
