subject: Holiday Time is Networking Time [print this page] Do you wonder why networking does not seem to work for you? Imagine this scenario. You are in line at a bank, restaurant, trade show or conference and you don't speak to the person in front of you or in back of you. You then follow this action up later by complaining that you find it hard to meet people and you are a poor networker. Guess what? You are 100% correct! You aren't going to meet many people and you will be a poor business networker behaving this way. Remember networking is you interacting with other people and you should make it part of your everyday life.
Networking is not mindless small talk with strangers. Instead it is an initial foray into a relationship. Personal and business networks are your windows into new and exciting opportunities. We are living in extremely difficult economic times where a strong business network is invaluable notonly to find a new job, but also to connect on potentialbusiness opportunities.
The last thing a good networker does is approach someone only when they need something. That tells them you are not genuine in your desire to be of mutual benefit. Instead you are in "what's in it for me"" mode. This will turn off the other party as quick as it would turn you off if the roles were reversed.
You should daily think of new connections to be made across the various areas of your life.
Some Networking Guidelines:
Be real.
Be confident and approachable. This includes smile, posture, initial conversation, etc.
Always introduce yourself in a genuine manner anywhere.
Be giving and add value to others.
Stay in touch.
Deliver on your promises.
Send a quick "how are you?" note to people you know periodically.
Now that you have your courage up it's time to break the ice, and remember you don't need be a phony extrovert. All you have to do is be genuine and take the lead in making contact. Don't prejudge another's reaction to you. Instead, interact and you'll most likely be surprised at how easy it is to connect with other people and how interested they are in what you have to offer.
If you are going to a business event then take the initiative and Google people you think may be there ahead of time. Take a couple of notes about them and use the information to break the ice if you run into them. People are always delighted to know that you are aware of what they do, what they are interested in, and they will be impressed that you took the time to become more informed about them and their industry.
After meeting people, if you don't have an active reason to stay in touch useLinkedIn,Twitter,Facebook, or another electronic medium to stay in touch.
