In any business, networking is a crucial part of growing your client base. It’s also a key way to increase the number and variety of opportunities that come your way, and it can help you advance to the next level of your career.
But business networking is a tricky thing. It can look and feel like a social situation, leaving many professionals unsure of how to behave. If you’re new in an industry, or just beginning your career, it gets even harder – how do you approach people? What do you talk about?
If you’re unsure of where to begin or how to behave at a networking event, keep these dos and don’ts in mind.
Your elevator speech should be essentially a verbal blurb – a few sentences about you and your work that you could deliver in the length of a short elevator ride. It should contain just enough information to give an accurate and leading picture of what you do without sounding like you’re listing all the points on your resumé.
“I’m a certified financial planner with XX Finance Consultants. I focus on helping clients prepare for major milestones like paying for college expenses and planning for retirement. I also do pro-bono work for several local non-profits.”
“I’m currently a mathematics PhD candidate at XX University studying number theory. I’ll be defending my dissertation in the spring, so right now I’m beginning my search for post-doctoral positions.”
Plan your elevator speech ahead of time – you don’t want to have to think of it on the spot when someone asks, “What sort of work do you do?”
If you keep the conversation focused on you, the only people who remember you will be the ones thinking about how boring you were to talk with.
The best way to get the other person talking is to ask her questions about herself. And it doesn’t have to be all business. If someone mentions travel, ask her about what sites were her favorite. A real conversation will be more engaging and memorable to both parties, and your new contact will appreciate that you took an interest in her.
Have something physical you can hand people, like a business card or a brochure. Make sure it has your basic information – name, job, company, contact information – as well as somewhere they can go to learn more or connect with you, such as a website or LinkedIn profile.
It may feel like social time. There may be entertainment, food, or even an open bar. But remember you’re there for business. The people watching and talking with you are not looking for someone fun to spend a weekend with. They’re looking for someone reliable to do business with.
Keep your clothing appropriate to your industry, even for evening events. Avoid controversial political or religious subjects and don’t say negative things about other colleagues; you never know who may be listening. Avoid purely social behaviors, like flirting. Watch how much you drink, because other people definitely will.
The number one thing people forget to do after networking events is to follow up with their new contacts – so make sure you’re one of the few who remembers!
If you can, keep the subject of your followup relevant to the conversation you had. If someone asked you to send certain information, do so promptly. If you mentioned a news article, track it down and send the link. Find a TED talk that’s relevant to your industry or work and share that. Connect on a social media site.
If nothing else, an email that says, “It was great to meet you” will ensure that your new contact remembers you the next day – and keeps you in mind in the future.
Whether you’re new to an industry or have been there for two decades, networking can be stressful and confusing. But if you take the time to prepare, stay focused, and follow up afterwards, you’ll be handling it like a pro in no time.