Super Networker!
By Stu Leventhal - Guru Marketing Tips
You have to genuinely take an interest in someone’s business, brand company products and their personal state of affairs too, before you can expect them to return the favor. Oh, I get it; you are taking a chance by putting yourself out there. You are shy. You really do not need any new friends but you want business referrals.
Often your efforts will not return any significant, beneficial, business results; you have to pursue lots of dead ends before you hit pay dirt. Still you must go on and on, if you really want to give networking a chance. When you initiate lots of attempts to network, some people will respond in kind. They take you up on your offer sometimes out of curiosity, with a ‘let’s see where this all goes’ attitude.
Humans normally mistrust everyone they just met; it is because we have all been fooled before. Networking is a long game play. You bide your time and hope your efforts will pay off someday. But why are so many biz pros so against networking. Is it because they refuse to make the practice…FUN?
Think about what business networking really is; you are meeting new people, introducing yourself. Where is networking done? Usually in FUN environments at; parties, fund raisers, events, celebrations… So why do so many pros hate to network?
It is the fear of rejection. Also many do not know the basics of how to go about networking. We all know how to meet new people at a backyard barbecue. But, the dynamics all change when our ultimate purpose for walking up to a stranger is to discuss business. Networking is uncomfortable!
We are nervous and we do not like being nervous.
That having been said, bear in mind, if you sit and wait for others to contact with you or to wave you over, they will not! Unless you raise your status to the celebrity level, people won’t ever seek you out as a new acquaintance they’d like someone to introduce them to.
There is also a lot of uncertainly as well as mystery to networking. We watch others that seem to be great networkers but we still cannot figure out how they do it. You never know when or where or even often why a business relationship or contact will suddenly become fruitful. Some returns from networking do not come back to you for years into the future.
Have you begun to recognize a constant theme that runs throughout many of the articles and tips on every page, nook and cranny of this Guru Marketing Tips Website? We always get around to talking about how you must concentrate on what is in it for the other guy or gal. How will the person you wish to partner with or collaborate with or sell to… benefit?
How will your audience gain if they give into what you are pitching?
If you wish to succeed with networking then you must make it quite clear what someone gets. What are the benefits of entering into a relationship with you. It should appear a no-brainer for folks to agree to work with you but know that this will usually require the appearance of you giving far more than you are asking them to give.
NETWORKING TIPS:
Now we are getting to the techniques of becoming more successful with forming business relationships.
How much do you know about this key person that could bring you lots of referral business. What are they interested in outside of their business life? Won’t it be easy for you to strike up a conversation with a stranger at a party or in public or even during a business function if you mentioned something like a hobby you both enjoy pursuing?
So the best networkers do their research and have goals to meet such as meeting a specific number of influential people each week or month. They have lists of folks that they would ideally like to meet. Keep in mind that it burns up the same amount of time to meet people who can have a startling positive affect on your company as it does to meet just random folks. Therefore you need to find out who can really help you grow your business and make the effort to inject yourself into their orbit.
Yes, it is often those we just happen to bump into in the strangest of places that turn out to be our best, long time, loyal, brand ambassadors but that does not mean you should not try to stack the deck in your favor. Choose folks that you obviously know, really could make a big impact on your life or for your business. Now find out their itinerary, where are they going to be? It starts with you showing up where they are. Have a plan. You need to make it seem that you are in the same place by accident, coincidence or just good luck.
First you make your list of people that could help further your career or business goals if you had a relationship with them. Next, you’ll brain storm ways to meet them in ways that would not seem too forward or pushy.
Understand that not everyone gets mad when a novice, out of their league, wishes to approach them for business reasons. Many are flattered when they realize what you are up to. Sure some will be turned off but that is when you have to turn up the charm.
Tell them how you admire them and that you respect their company and strong brand they have built from scratch. Ask if they would be kind enough to give you a little business advice. Keep them talking so you can start to warm up to one another.
Remember, do not do all the talking; allow them to talk too.
You have to appear interested in them and their stories, not consumed with telling them about you.
Often your efforts will not return any significant, beneficial, business results; you have to pursue lots of dead ends before you hit pay dirt. Still you must go on and on, if you really want to give networking a chance. When you initiate lots of attempts to network, some people will respond in kind. They take you up on your offer sometimes out of curiosity, with a ‘let’s see where this all goes’ attitude.
Humans normally mistrust everyone they just met; it is because we have all been fooled before. Networking is a long game play. You bide your time and hope your efforts will pay off someday. But why are so many biz pros so against networking. Is it because they refuse to make the practice…FUN?
Think about what business networking really is; you are meeting new people, introducing yourself. Where is networking done? Usually in FUN environments at; parties, fund raisers, events, celebrations… So why do so many pros hate to network?
It is the fear of rejection. Also many do not know the basics of how to go about networking. We all know how to meet new people at a backyard barbecue. But, the dynamics all change when our ultimate purpose for walking up to a stranger is to discuss business. Networking is uncomfortable!
We are nervous and we do not like being nervous.
That having been said, bear in mind, if you sit and wait for others to contact with you or to wave you over, they will not! Unless you raise your status to the celebrity level, people won’t ever seek you out as a new acquaintance they’d like someone to introduce them to.
There is also a lot of uncertainly as well as mystery to networking. We watch others that seem to be great networkers but we still cannot figure out how they do it. You never know when or where or even often why a business relationship or contact will suddenly become fruitful. Some returns from networking do not come back to you for years into the future.
Have you begun to recognize a constant theme that runs throughout many of the articles and tips on every page, nook and cranny of this Guru Marketing Tips Website? We always get around to talking about how you must concentrate on what is in it for the other guy or gal. How will the person you wish to partner with or collaborate with or sell to… benefit?
How will your audience gain if they give into what you are pitching?
If you wish to succeed with networking then you must make it quite clear what someone gets. What are the benefits of entering into a relationship with you. It should appear a no-brainer for folks to agree to work with you but know that this will usually require the appearance of you giving far more than you are asking them to give.
NETWORKING TIPS:
- You are the one approaching them. You’ll have much more success by flattering them than by bragging about yourself.
- Do Not discuss business when you meet someone for the first time.
- They have to like you in a genuine personal way, before they will recommend others to call you or hire you.
- You have to make them look good if they do refer you to someone they care about such as an important client or a family member or a close friend.
Now we are getting to the techniques of becoming more successful with forming business relationships.
How much do you know about this key person that could bring you lots of referral business. What are they interested in outside of their business life? Won’t it be easy for you to strike up a conversation with a stranger at a party or in public or even during a business function if you mentioned something like a hobby you both enjoy pursuing?
So the best networkers do their research and have goals to meet such as meeting a specific number of influential people each week or month. They have lists of folks that they would ideally like to meet. Keep in mind that it burns up the same amount of time to meet people who can have a startling positive affect on your company as it does to meet just random folks. Therefore you need to find out who can really help you grow your business and make the effort to inject yourself into their orbit.
Yes, it is often those we just happen to bump into in the strangest of places that turn out to be our best, long time, loyal, brand ambassadors but that does not mean you should not try to stack the deck in your favor. Choose folks that you obviously know, really could make a big impact on your life or for your business. Now find out their itinerary, where are they going to be? It starts with you showing up where they are. Have a plan. You need to make it seem that you are in the same place by accident, coincidence or just good luck.
First you make your list of people that could help further your career or business goals if you had a relationship with them. Next, you’ll brain storm ways to meet them in ways that would not seem too forward or pushy.
Understand that not everyone gets mad when a novice, out of their league, wishes to approach them for business reasons. Many are flattered when they realize what you are up to. Sure some will be turned off but that is when you have to turn up the charm.
Tell them how you admire them and that you respect their company and strong brand they have built from scratch. Ask if they would be kind enough to give you a little business advice. Keep them talking so you can start to warm up to one another.
Remember, do not do all the talking; allow them to talk too.
You have to appear interested in them and their stories, not consumed with telling them about you.
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