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Tips for Successful Business Networking

Business networking is an essential skill for any business person or enterprise - large or small, new or established. It may be the major or even sole source of clients for a small business or self-employed professional; and it is a critical element of any large firm's business promotion strategy, complementing its advertising and communication plans.
Success Coach Stephanie Speisman, who coaches groups and individuals in business networking skills based on her booklet 99 Tips for Successful Business Networking, says: "Effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another."
In an article entitled "10 Tips for Successful Business Networking" (www.businessknowhow.com), she advises:
1) Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.
2) Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections.
3) Hold volunteer positions in organisations. This is a great way to stay visible and give back to groups that have helped you.
4) Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.
5) Become known as a powerful resource for others. When you are known as a strong resource, people remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names of other people, etc. This keeps you visible to them.
6) Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you. Too often people in conversations ask, "How may I help you?" and no immediate answer comes to mind.
7) Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honour that and your referrals will grow.
8) Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas.
Stressing the importance of business networking, Business writer Demir Barlas says: "Good networking requires you to balance a methodical approach with the ability not to take yourself too seriously... Carefully plan the events you'll attend, define your purpose and immerse yourself in your own pitch - but once you start interacting, maintain a casual and friendly demeanour. You'll be pleasant to be around and pleasant to listen to, which will differentiate you from the crowd and increase your chances of success."
In his article on "Best Practices of Business Networking" (about.com: business information), he adds these tips:
• Present yourself well. Business networking is often about first impressions... At face-to-face events, dress well, polish how you speak, make eye contact and generally present yourself to impress others with your professionalism and charisma.
• Don't bombard - interact. If you approach business networking solely as an opportunity to talk about yourself and your business, you'll bore people.
• Exploit all media. Traditional networking takes place in physical locations. In the age of social networking websites like Facebook and LinkedIn, however, a lot of networking takes place online. Be aware that opportunities to network span several media; take advantage of all of them.
• Business networking groups. People define themselves as members of groups such as one's profession, religion, race, gender, language and even favorite sports team. List the affiliations that matter to you, then consider them as networking possibilities. Even events such as church picnics, plays, a party, a ball game or environmental causes can be business networking opportunities, he says. Family and friends can also connect you to potential clients, he adds.
• Find the centre of influence. In the movie The Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith plays a stockbroker who befriends an extremely important banker with dozens of clients, friends and contacts. While the banker himself does not do business with the stockbroker, his contacts do. The lesson is that every group has a centre of influence; your business networking efforts should focus on this individual.
• Take a Zen approach. To borrow a principle from Zen Buddhism, the best way to network is to be unconscious of the fact that you are networking. Don't let your mind dwell on the purpose or mechanics of networking. When you spend time with your friends, do you constantly have the purpose of maintaining your friendship in mind? No - you lose yourself in the moment. That's the kind of approach you should bring to business networking.

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