5 Tips For Getting the Most Out of Networking in Business

Are you faced with the prospect of needing to ramp up your efforts to do more networking in business? Do you need to be more effective in your use of networking? Here are a few tips to help you feel more comfortable as you get started and make the whole process more worthwhile:

Make friends with the host. When you RSVP to attend the event, you often talk with or email someone who will actually be at the event. Use that contact information, either via email or phone, and take a second to introduce yourself. Let the person know you are new, and ask whether you can introduce yourself when you arrive at the event. This is an excellent way to get off to a good start — and it's likely the host or staff person will know several other attendees to whom you will be introduced right away.

Get the relationship started. Don't worry at all about doing business, or even much about talking about what you do. Keep focused on the other person, and ask questions about what they do, how they began in that field, and other details about their business. Just be yourself. It's really only necessary to give a very brief description of what you do. Save the details about your business for follow up time, and focus now on finding out as much as you can about new friends so you can begin a solid relationship. Keep in mind that it is quite likely that you will never actually do business with this person — they may never actually buy something from you. Instead, you want to be of service to that person and his or her entire network of friends, family and colleagues.

Always follow up. The event you attend is just the beginning. If you've made a thoughtful first impression with the people you met then you've laid the groundwork for your future relationship. Within 24 hours, send an individual follow-up email to each person you met, letting them know you enjoyed meeting them. If you hit it off, ask whether they might want to get together again to talk further. Hint: if you are the recipient of a nice-to-meet-you email, always answer it. This is the beginning of the real networking.

Use coffee (or virtual coffee) to follow up. If you meet someone with whom you have a good connection, don't be shy about asking whether they'd like to get together for coffee. If you live far apart or have restrictions on getting together, “virtual coffee” via phone can often work just as well. Pick a time and place, and show up. (Hint: it's polite to confirm your appointment 24 hours ahead of time so you won't be having coffee alone.) Start off by asking about the other person's business, and take notes and ask questions so you have a real understanding. Then, take a few minutes to talk about your business (your friend will probably directly ask you to do this). Make sure you focus on contacts you can help your friend with. I find it helpful to write down the connections and follow up steps in my notes so I don't forget. The whole coffee will probably take about an hour, and by the end you may have a more lasting sense of connection.

Schedule regular weekly time for networking. The whole process of networking in business can be quite time consuming, enough so that a friend of mine refers to networking as her part time job. Make sure you set aside enough time in your schedule to properly follow up. I find it helpful to set aside a block of time after a networking event for sending out emails. I use a regular time each week (I use Friday late-afternoons, which are otherwise not busy) to follow up on making connections and introductions for people I've had coffee with during the week. During this regular time, I also go through my index card system each week to make sure I've touched base with all my contacts to follow up on a regular, long-term basis.

Liz A McGowen is an experienced entrepreneur and coach. At her blog she interviews people who are extremely successful using networking, and helps people overcome fears and frustrations about networking. For more information please visit Authentic Networking In Business.

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