How to Get Better at Business Networking

Posted 5 years ago by Anastasia Prokofyeva

You are probably familiar with the桂 theory. It桂suggests that everyone is桂six or桂fewer steps away from any桂person in桂the桂world. This 혫friend of桂a桂friend혬 chain means that you literally 혫know혬 every person that might be桂helpful for, or桂interested in, your business.

The only thing left is桂to桂actually find them and桂build a桂connection with them.

Business networking is桂the桂tool that makes it桂possible.

It桂helps entrepreneurs to桂form professional relationships, to桂create and桂act upon business opportunities, and桂to桂share information and桂find potential partners. As桂promising as桂it桂sounds, it桂takes some effort.

What Is桂Business Networking?

The idea of桂networking is桂simple: it桂involves activities that help you to桂solve your problems by桂developing mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with others.

In桂business, it�셲 essential for桂attracting new clients or桂partners, looking for桂suppliers, employees, or桂investors. You can learn how to桂network at桂a桂conference or桂at桂business meetings. You can also do桂this in桂coworking spaces, at桂college reunions, during volunteering activities, when attending hobby clubs, as桂well as桂through social media.

Related: Unusual Partnerships: Who Online Retailers Should Be桂Friends With

Why Do桂You Need to桂Network?

�┢�Because personal connections work miracles. The numbers speak for桂themselves: said that small meetings are their favorite form of桂communication for桂business talks, gaining new skills, and桂obtaining important information.

Fair enough. We桂interpret people not only by桂the桂choice of桂their words but also through their body language, facial expressions, and桂tone of桂voice.

Experts believe are filled through networking. That�셲 why so桂many people now learn how to桂network for桂a桂job. LinkedIn alone has .

People understand the桂importance of桂business networking. 41% of桂professionals wish they had more time for桂it. It�셲 understandable: business networking gives opportunities to桂expand your influence, make new connections, and桂build your reputation.

By桂networking actively, you remain aware of桂what�셲 happening in桂your industry. The better you understand your market, the桂more confident you become, and桂it桂also makes your business more visible to桂others.

Your introversion might be桂one of桂the桂reasons you are running an桂online store instead of桂a桂brick-and-mortar one. What if桂parties with friends are the桂only social events you are comfortable with?

People tend to桂believe they are being noticed more than they really are. This is桂called the桂. Remember it桂while networking at桂conferences or桂events. In桂reality, no桂one is桂pointing fingers at桂you for桂messing up桂the桂cards and桂handing out the桂wrong one. So桂don�셳 let some minor inconveniences or桂your nerves misguide you.

The results of桂the桂 on桂the桂spotlight effect: predicted and桂actual percentage of桂observers able to桂identify the桂individual depicted on桂the桂target�셲 T-shirt

Taking the桂first steps of桂business networking can feel awkward, but it桂doesn�셳 mean you should give up桂on桂your networking skills. Give it桂some time and桂practice, and桂the桂results of桂your business relationships are going to桂be桂so桂worth it.

Also read: How to桂Hire and桂Manage Staff for桂Your Growing Online Store

How to桂Network Effectively

So桂you are going to桂your first business networking event, be桂it桂a桂conference or桂a桂hobby club meeting. What do桂you do?

1.桂Plan ahead what you want to桂get from the桂event

Always plan your visits ahead if桂you don�셳 want to桂find yourself lost at桂the桂coffee table trying to桂figure out your next move.

Think of桂how much time you want to桂spend at桂the桂meeting, how many people you want to桂make contact with, and桂most importantly桂�� state your aim, for桂example, to桂draw new customers or桂to桂find a桂micro influencer you can collaborate with.

Popular reasons to桂network from the桂infographic, based on桂a桂Populus survey of桂business professionals

Also, do桂some homework: learn who will be桂attending or桂speaking and桂even reach out to桂some people via email beforehand so桂that you have some common ground with them at桂the桂event.

Remember to桂diversify your network. It�셲 better to桂know a桂designer, an桂influencer, and桂a桂marketing expert than just three influencers. Your business is桂growing, and桂soon you�셪l likely be桂in桂need of桂different experts.

Don�셳 try too hard at桂keeping up桂with everyone. There�셲 , which suggests a桂limit to桂the桂number of桂people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships. And it桂is桂only 150. So桂don�셳 exhaust yourself trying to桂keep up桂with every person you meet while networking. It�셲 always about quality, not quantity.

2.桂Introduce yourself

Small things like a桂handshake can make a桂big difference. if桂you shake hands with somebody, it桂increases the桂positive impact. The way you do桂it桂also matters: a桂firm but friendly handshake is桂a桂win.

Mention your name as桂you offer your hand, and桂say what you do. Just don�셳 turn it桂into a桂혫commercial,혬 but keep it桂short and桂simple. A桂joke is桂not the桂best way to桂start a桂conversation here, especially if桂it�셲 more of桂a桂formal event.

First impressions depend on桂words less than we桂think (Image credit: )

It�셲 okay to桂have prepared lines if桂you feel nervous. Just don�셳 try to桂plan everything you�셱e going to桂say. Scripts of桂any桂kind feel unnatural, and桂this way you risk to桂look phoney. Prepare phrases that describe what you do桂and桂what you�셱e looking for桂at桂this event. Your goal is桂to桂sound confident, not simulated.

Get creative with business cards. 88% of桂business cards will be桂thrown out in桂less than a桂week. Save some money and桂trees: make sure your card is桂a)桂memorable, and桂b)桂handed out to桂someone who is桂actually interested in桂getting in桂touch with you later.

Don�셳 hesitate to桂choose unusual forms and桂designs, and桂always update your info and桂contacts on桂it.

You don�셳 need to桂go桂too far with business cards to桂make them stand out. proves it

Also read: How to桂Pay Yourself When You Own a桂Business

3.桂Master the桂art of桂small talk

Love it桂or桂hate it, but small talk is桂a桂good conversation opener and桂space filler. To桂find common ground and桂keep the桂conversation flowing, try to桂stick to桂safe topics such as桂travel, weather, hobbies, literature, sports, films, holidays, pets, or桂art.

You can also try mirroring while you small-talk. That means copying the桂body language, gestures, and桂facial expressions of桂the桂person you�셱e talking to. It�셲 called the桂혫.니

Notice small things: what this person finds interesting about the桂event, what they think of桂some current news, and桂so桂on. People value personal connections, as桂it桂shows them they�셱e not just assets for桂your business growth.

4.桂Move to桂business talk

Before you both forget why you came here and桂start showing each other cute photos of桂your children and桂pets, move to桂the桂혫big혬 talk.

Ask what brought them to桂the桂event or桂what they are hoping to桂get from it. Then elaborate a桂bit more on桂your business, but don�셳 sell to桂your companion. Try to桂be桂helpful: maybe you already know the桂person they are looking for, or桂you can offer some advice.

Also, be桂an桂active listener. That makes people feel appreciated.

Pay attention not just to桂the桂words, but also to桂the桂person�셲 body language (are they nervous, tired, bored?)
Smile, react with other facial expressions
Keep an桂open and桂interested posture
Make small verbal comments (�쏽es,�� 혫I桂see,혬 혫Right혬)
Ask open follow-up questions (�쏡id you?��, 혫Really?혬, 혫Is that what you meant earlier when you said��?혬)
Keep eye contact
Provide feedback that shows the桂person is桂understood (�쏶ounds like you are saying�╈��, 혫You mean ��,桂right?혬).

5.桂End a桂conversation with tact

If桂you want to桂move from the桂current conversation, be桂honest and桂don�셳 lie about having to桂leave. It桂would be桂awkward to桂meet this person later in桂the桂line for桂the桂bathroom.

Just say that you enjoyed meeting and桂talking to桂them, but you hoped to桂talk to桂some other people too. Offer to桂exchange business cards or桂ask them if桂you can drop them an桂email later. Ask if桂you can introduce them to桂someone you already met at桂this event.

The shows how you can end a桂conversation without awkwardness

6.桂Follow up桂on桂time

Don�셳 take too long to桂follow up桂with people you made connections with, especially if桂you decided on桂some time frame. A桂call or桂an桂email will show you�셱e a桂reliable person, and桂they�셱e important to桂you. Make it桂clear you expect it桂to桂be桂a桂long-term network, beneficial for桂both of桂you.

Make sure you are providing value. If桂you found a桂blog post, a桂helpful YouTube video, or桂a桂specialist that the桂person might be桂interested in, don�셳 hesitate to桂share your knowledge.

It�셲 important to桂do桂that on桂a桂constant basis. Always share useful information with people in桂your network, not only at桂events, but also via email or桂on桂the桂phone. People should know you care for桂them even when you�셱e not working together at桂the桂present moment. It桂helps to桂maintain a桂connection and桂always keep in桂touch.

How to桂Network Online

has a桂social networking profile. Not only the桂user figures but also user engagement are . Users spend about a桂day on桂social media. It桂would be桂a桂mistake to桂ignore such an桂opportunity for桂online networking.

worldwide will only grow and桂will reach more than 3桂billion in桂3桂years

1.桂Choose platforms and桂be桂active

Think of桂the桂platforms your audience or桂potential partners tend to桂use, and桂try to桂be桂active on桂them. You can join discussions in桂forums or桂Facebook groups, tweet, leave comments on桂FB桂pages, make connections with people based on桂common grounds like going to桂the桂same university or桂attending a桂charity event.

If桂you have a桂blog, keep posting regularly. Don�셳 forget to桂respond to桂comments. Answers to桂online questions are great for桂showing your expertise and桂building trust.

If桂you want to桂get in桂touch with influencers, first make a桂list of桂people you�셱e interested in. Use services like that can help to桂find bloggers on桂Twitter. Search for桂keywords of桂your industry +桂the桂words 혫blogger,혬 혫influencer,혬 or桂혫author.니 Then find the桂platform they use the桂most and桂become their active subscriber: comment on桂their pages, ask questions, tag them in桂your posts. Remember to桂stay value-oriented: don�셳 turn communication into emoji exchanges.

2.桂Go桂offline if桂needed

Say you made connections with people online, and桂now you want to桂collaborate or桂partner with them. When writing a桂message or桂an桂email, make your point clear: what do桂you want from them? If桂you want to桂meet them offline, don�셳 be桂vague but specify what you want to桂discuss.

Be桂friendly, but stick to桂the桂point

Also, don�셳 give up桂on桂unanswered emails and桂messages. People get busy and桂forget things, so桂contact them again. You may get the桂answer when you no桂longer expect it.

What you�셶e learned about effective business networking:

Set measurable goals and桂plan your network activities.
Reach out to桂your potential partners before the桂event.
Practice small talk and桂master the桂etiquette.
Make your business card memorable.
Share your expertise on桂your blog or桂social profiles.
Share helpful and桂relevant content with partners to桂stay in桂touch.

桂

About The Author

Anastasia is a freelance author and writes about e-commerce, traveling, and lifestyle. In her spare time, she's a crazy cat lady and a chocolate addict.

붚죕쳔