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What To Do After Networking

by EvieBurke, posted in networking

ID-10050742So far we’ve covered:

  1. The three questions to ask before you network
  2. How to find places to network
  3. How to make time in your schedule to go networking
  4. What “To Do” When Networking
  5. What “Not To Do” When Networking

This topic, ohhh, this topic is one that I seriously could have used myself a few months ago (heck, a couple of years ago would have been even better).

Ideally, you’d do these things within 48 hours of the event. However, if it’s after that (even if it’s a week or two later) still go through these steps.

Do what you said you’d do

Did you tell someone you know someone who might need their services? Or maybe you mentioned someone that would be a good referral partner for them? Perhaps you were talking about something and you said you’d send them an article you just read on that topic. Or they might have expressed an interest in talking with you more and you said you’d call or email to set up a time to do that.

Make those phone calls or send those emails first. They’re expecting to hear from you!

Follow-up phone calls

This is where you setup those appointments with people that were interested or who are your ideal client. This is also where you setup appointments with other people that serve your ideal client.

Did you just go “Ugggg” or were you immediately turned off by something I wrote in the above sentence? I know I would have been a few months ago. Please stick it out and I encourage you to share your feelings and thoughts in the comments.

Let’s back up a moment though. You’ve been out networking, you met a lot of people and continued relationships with others, right? So, people know what you do. And if they need your product / service they’ll just call you – no need to do anything else?

In a perfect world, yes that’s exactly how things would work. However, people are busy and even if they know they would benefit greatly from your product/service, they might not find the time to call you to let you know. Or, they might be missing that one piece of information that pushes them from “I don’t need that” to “wow, I could really benefit from that”

This was extremely hard for me. I didn’t want to call people. Why? Well, yes there was some fear in bothering people or wondering if I came off as pushy.

But when you got right down to it – I had NO idea how to approach the conversation. And I like to have things I’m nervous about planned out. And the advice I was getting from people were things like “just pick up the phone and call” or “find out more about them, be curious.”

Both of those are great pieces of advice, and I do use them. But I also use something else: a script. Why? Because it means I don’t have to worry about “what am I going to say?!” I know what I’m going to say, or at least I have a rough draft of it.

I found a great reference for scripts last year. It gives five different scenarios and what a phone call to each might look like. Of course, modify the scripts to work for you. The article is called “Turn Your Business Around with Warm Calls and E-mails” and you can find it HERE.

Follow-up emails

Send emails to people that you saw again and chatted with, a “nice to see you again” type of email. You can also send emails to people that you met that didn’t fall into your “phone them” category, a “nice to meet you” type email.

And if you want, and you have their address, you can send them a card. That always makes a great impression and helps you stand out from others.

More follow-up

Sometimes, when you call someone, you’re going to get a voice mail or catch them at a bad time. Put a system in place that reminds you to call them again or send them an email.

Also, if you did chat with someone and made a good connection or just had a good conversation or enjoyed their company, make sure to call them again in a month or two to catch up with them. Find out if anything new is happening in their business or life.

And, as a friend of mine pointed out, sometimes when we get caught in the “strategic” actions to build our business and forget to just pick up the phone and call someone for no reason other than we were thinking about them. Two things about this: (1) anytime you talk or meet with someone be sincere, yes you want to build your business, but it’s also fun to meet new people and build relationships! (2) If you’re randomly thinking about someone, give them a call and see how they’re doing.

Last piece of advice: have fun with it and take the time to get to know the person behind the business. You’ll meet some really great people and learn some really cool things.

Which step or steps above do you currently do? Which one will you start doing? Share in the comments below!

Image courtesy of Simon Howden at  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What “Not To Do” When Networking

by EvieBurke, posted in networking

Woman-out-of-patienceSo far we’ve covered:

  1. The three questions to ask before you network
  2. How to find places to network
  3. How to make time in your schedule to go networking
  4. What “To Do” When Networking

This topic, what “not to do” when networking, is the reason that this series came to be. Why? Because I met someone that definitely did a “don’t.” And I’m not sure she realized she did it, but I’ll get to that later.

The Do Not’s

Forget business cards
Too obvious? However, at some point, you’re probably going to forget your business card or not realize that you’re almost out until you go to put more in your bag. It happens to everyone. So, don’t forget to ask for the business cards of the people you’re talking to.

Talk excessively past the amount of time given
This is when you’re given 30 seconds or 3 minutes in front of the group to introduce yourself. Not all networking groups are set up like this, but when they are, honor everyone’s time by staying within the given time frame.

If you accidentally go over a little bit, people will be very forgiving. However, if you habitually take extra time, people will start to tune you out when you start to talk, because you’ve trained them to expect you to be a while.

Talk only to the people you know
You’re there to reconnect with people you know AND meet new people. Yes, you want to continue to develop the relationships you already have, but don’t do it at the expense of meeting new people.

Monopolize the conversation
Don’t spend the whole time talking about you! In fact, ask the other person to tell you about themselves first. Be curious about them, ask them questions. Some questions to get you started:

  • Tell me more about that.
  • How did you get started doing that?
  • How long have you been in that business?
  • What do you love most about doing that?

Monopolize someone’s time
It can be more comfortable to continue a conversation with someone you’re already chatting with then to find someone new to talk with. However, it’s best to recognize when it’s time to move on.

Sell at the event!
Do not sell at the networking event! Networking groups / events are for meeting new people and businesses (and continuing existing relationships). Yes, they maybe people that you do business with in the future or people that will do business with you, but do not try to sell someone your product or service there. That’s why you make appointments! (See the previous article HERE for more information)

Yes, if someone says, “I’d like to purchase x from you,” you’re certainly going to take care of that request, but you shouldn’t be trying to sell them your product or service – only telling them about it.

Story Time
Yes, one reason this series on networking came about because someone tried to sell me their business opportunity at a networking event. She had a clear vision for the possibilities her business opportunity would give me and my business (good for her! She believed in herself and her company!), but she wasn’t listening when I told her I wasn’t interested (I believe my words were “that’s not the direction I want to go with my business”) and she continued to try to convince me to work with her.

I finally stopped her, thanked her for sharing,, and firmly told her I wasn’t interested. She finally understood and became very embarrassed and quickly moved on.

I share this story for three reasons:

  1. The networking event was not the appropriate time for her to pitch me her business opportunity. If she wanted to share how working with her might benefit me, she would have been better served to ask to meet with me later if I wanted to learn more. In other words, set up an appointment – where I would know what the purpose was.
  2. If you have a bad experience with one person when networking, do not give up on networking or that particular group or event. Recognize it for what it was, an unfortunate experience with one person, not with the group, event or networking as a whole. Just keep that in mind. I know those experiences can be really frustrating!
  3. Don’t be that person! If she continues to network that way she will probably find herself being avoided. Mending fences is possible, but can be difficult.

Be aware of the “do not’s” but focus more on the “do’s” and you’ll be in pretty good shape. Next week we’ll cover what to do when you get home after the event.

Do you have any additional “do not’s”? Share in the comments below!

What “To Do” When Networking

by EvieBurke, posted in appointments, introduction, networking

ID-10038966

So far we’ve covered:

  1. The three questions to ask before you network
  2. How to find places to network
  3. How to make time in your schedule to go networking

And, as the title suggests, this week we’re covering the do’s of networking. In the first draft this was the “to do’s” and “not to do’s”. However, it ended up being an almost 1,500 word article, so I’ve broken it into two pieces. The “do not’s” are next week’s article.

Before I go into the “do’s” I want to take a moment to remind you that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you start. Yes, you want to be intentional when you network and do some preparation, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.

The person out there doing things imperfectly is always making more progress (and money) than the person sitting at home waiting for things to be perfect.

The Do’s

Bring business cards
Have something with your contact information on it. Minimally it should include your name and email address. Ideally, it also includes a phone number and your website (although don’t let not having a website stop you!)

Talk to people you don’t know
Yes, I know this one might seem a bit obvious, but I felt it had to be said. Why? Because it’s really easy to start talking with someone you know and stay in that comfortable conversation instead of starting a new conversation with someone you don’t know. I have to remind myself of this every once in a while.

Prepare a 30 second introduction
Sometimes this is called a commercial. It’s really just a nice way to introduce yourself to a person or group.

Not sure how to do this? Here’s a script:
Hi I’m {name here} from {company here}. I work with {ideal client} to help them {benefit you bring your client} and {another benefit}. {Your name} with {company name}.

Be prepared to talk beyond 30 seconds
Not sure what to say? Talk a little bit about how you help or serve people. This doesn’t necessarily mean you tell them all about the different products / services you offer, but you might tell them about a happy customer – Jane started out this way and after using my products / services she had these results. Or you could mention what sets you apart from others in your field. Those are just a couple ideas to get you started.

And why come prepared with this? Two reasons: (1) some networking groups give you 2-3 minutes to talk about yourself (don’t feel obligated to use all the time if you don’t need it) and (2) when you’re talking with individuals (instead of the whole group at once) – you’ll be able to tell them more about what you do without getting flustered or tongue tied.

Ask for other people’s business cards
People are busy! If you want to connect with them after the event or meeting, then you need to take the initiative and call or email them. And if they don’t have one, have them write their information on the back of one of yours (be sure you don’t pass that one out!) or on a piece of paper.

Set appointments
This is probably the first one that has you scratching your head a bit. Set appointments? What does that mean? Remember how you did the work earlier on knowing your ideal client and referral partners? This is where having that information comes into play, yet again.

  • Referral Partner
    If you meet someone who is a potential referral partner, then set up a coffee or lunch meeting or even schedule a phone call to find out more about them and their business. If possible, do this at the networking event. If that’s not possible, put a star or fold the corner of their card to indicate that you want to follow up with them later.
  • Ideal Client
    If you meet someone who is your ideal client than you’ll also want to set up an appointment with them. However, it’s slightly different than talking with a referral partner.
    Ideal clients tend to fall into two categories: those who know they want to work with you and those that might not realize that they want to work with you.

    • Those who know they want to work with you
      They’re easy to identify because they tell you something like “Ohh! I could sooo use that right now!” or “Wow, I’d love to learn more about that for my business.”
      So, set an appointment with them so you can tell them more about what you do and find out if you’re a good fit to work together.
    • Those that might not realize that they want to work with you
      These are the people who are your ideal client, but haven’t expressed an interest. You’re not actually going to set an appointment with them. However, you are going to note that you want to call them within a couple days to see if your service / product might be helpful for them.

Anything additional that’s on your “Do” list when you’re networking? Share in the comments below!

Anything additional that’s on your “Do” list when you’re networking? Click HERE to share!

Image courtesy of photostock at  FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Woman With A Clock

Making Time in Your Schedule to go Networking

by EvieBurke, posted in networking, planning

Woman With A ClockAt this point you know who your ideal clients and referral partners are.  And you’ve found some places to network, or at least know where to start.

So, now the question is: How do you fit it into your already busy schedule?

First, you’ll want to further narrow down the events / groups you’ll go to.

  1. Pick just one group to attend a week.
    If you can make time to go to more or if networking is a high priority activity, then find a couple to attend. The main point here is to prioritize which group you attend.
  2. What is the travel time?
    If you’re picking between two groups that both feel like a good fit, then give the one that’s closer a slightly higher priority, at least initially. Later check out the other one and decide which one is the best fit for you.
  3. Which group appears to be a better match for connecting with your ideal client?
    This can be difficult to determine for a group you’ve never attended. Which brings us to:
  4. Go a couple of times!
    Yes, some groups you might go to and know in the first five minutes that it’s not quite for you, but generally, going twice will give you a good feel for the group.

Are you wondering how the heck you’re going to find two or more hours to do this?!

  1. What are your three main goals for the week?
    Make sure those things get done and don’t get lost in the minutia (Facebook, Twitter, email, anything you find yourself checking multiple times in a 30 minute period that has nothing to do with the task at hand).
  2. Prioritize networking!
    Fact is, networking is an important marketing activity (make sure you read the next two articles for tips on how to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your time!).
  3. Know exactly what’s already on your plate.
    This allows you to decide what you want to devote your time to – it allows you to be a bit more strategic with your time and not get lost in the things that can wait.

If you’re just starting out, networking can feel like a really frightening thing. On the way to one of my first networking meetings, I remember feeling nervous, scared and looking for legitimate reasons to turn my car around and head back home. I made it there anyway. And felt awkward and wondered if I was doing it right most of the meeting. However, the group was very nice and inviting. And I ventured out again to that group the next month and was welcomed. And over two years later, I still attend that group whenever I can.

I’ve had many more good networking experiences than I’ve had bad ones. And yes, I have been at groups where everyone was more interested in talking with their friends than meeting new people, but those are the exception and not the rule.

So, my question for you is how do you (or will you) pick places to network? One that I mentioned or something else? Let me know in the comments below!

Woman looking to into the distance - searching

How Do You Find Places to Network?

by EvieBurke, posted in networking

Woman looking to into the distance - searchingLast week we covered the three questions that you need to answer to before you go networking.

This week we’ll go over finding places to network. And yes, you’ll need to know your answers to last week’s questions before you begin.

Networking can be one of the most personally and professionally rewarding things you do, but what does it have to do with your productivity?

A lot.

Networking takes time, there’s travel time, time at the event and the follow-up time when you get home. And you want to spend your time at the events that are the most beneficial for you and your business.

You want to do the tasks that move you closer to your goals and, in that respect, networking is like any other task. You want to be doing networking that moves you closer to your goals. And while hanging out with friends is fun, if that’s the only networking you’re doing, it might be time to revisit where you’re networking (or how).

Networking generally serves one of four purposes:

  1. A place for you to connect with your ideal client
  2. A place for you to connect with your referral partners
  3. A place for you to be supported and learn how to grow your business
  4. An activity to get you out of the house, because you suddenly realize you haven’t left for two weeks for anything other than personal or family errands

If you’re already out there networking, review your current groups.  Which category (or categories) does each of your groups fit into?

There is value to networking for any of those four reasons. However, I’m going to focus on the first two.

So, how do you find places to network? Ask yourself these questions:

  • What groups or associations do your ideal clients belong to?
  • What conferences do your ideal clients attend?
  • Where do your ideal clients network?

To answer these questions do these two things:

  1. Google it! You know who your ideal client is, so use a short description of those people and add association or conference to the end.
  2. Are you friends with someone who’s your ideal client? Ask them!

One other way to search for networking groups or events is to go to Meetup.com and EventBrite.com. No, Meetup is not a dating type website. It’s a website full of groups inviting you to become a member if your interests align. So, in addition to networking groups for businesses, you’ll find jogging groups, game groups and many other fun things. Generally Meetup.com is for networking and EventBrite is for conferences or one-time events, although that is not always true.

However you find networking groups, go a couple times and see if it’s a group for you. Sometimes, for whatever reason, the group just isn’t a good fit. That’s okay – find other groups that are a better fit.

This week, in the comments I invite you to share your answers to the three questions above.