Posted By Amanda Collins on July 9, 2010

Did you happen to read Liz Ryan’s article this week in The Huffington Post, “That’s Definitely Not Networking”? She shared some wonderful comments on what activities should not be construed as networking; unfortunately, some people still count them as part of their business-building efforts. Some examples include connecting with colleagues on Facebook or sending a monthly e-newsletter to your database. That’s not to say those ideas are bad ones, of course; it’s more a matter of definition.

Whether you’re a very extroverted entrepreneur who is energized by going out to events, or a more reserved personality who dreads those business lunches, here are some great ways that you can enhance and maximize your networking efforts.

1. Have a plan
Just going to events willy nilly isn’t a plan. How many will you attend each week? Will you always do one type of event (breakfast, seminar, mixer), or will you pick a variety? How many people do you want to meet? What kinds of people? Having a strategy will give you a way to measure if you’re meeting your goals and help you stay more focused while you’re out and about.

2. Follow up
I’ve been as guilty as the next person in this category, putting the business cards I’ve received in a pile and then forgetting about them for a week – or more. By then, I’ve typically forgotten anything about the people I met that long ago. Strive to follow up within 48 hours, either by phone or email. If you want to really stand out, you can mail a card. Your method isn’t quite as important as the fact that you’re reaching out beyond the event. Remember that your goal is to cultivate and build relationships.

3. Go back
I’ve heard a few people say, “Yeah, I went to that event before, but I didn’t make any connections.” The likelihood that you’ll score a client or referral partner after attending anything once is pretty low. You need to continue making an appearance, connecting with people, and being consistent. Be patient. It may take a number of weeks or months to create relationships and generate sales.

Networking is a vital component of being a successful entrepreneur, and you can make it work for you if you take the time to make a plan, follow up, and stay connected. Then you may find that you’re not only enjoying networking but effectively building your client base.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on March 30, 2010

You plan your week – or month – in advance to maximize your networking, planning three to five events per week, alternating among breakfast, lunch, and happy-hour meetings. (If you’re in Phoenix, I hope you’re looking on NetworkingPhoenix.com!) In short, you’ve done everything you’ve been taught to do to meet new people and generate leads.

Now, if you’re one of the 5% of networkers, once you’ve made the connections, you’ll follow up with your new business acquaintances with a nice e-mail, phone call, or mailed card. If so, that’s excellent! But, wait, it doesn’t end there. The whole idea of going out and prospecting is to build a database of contacts, hopefully establishing and maintaining relationships. To that end, you need to continue the conversation with these new folks.

In my experience, most small business owners are gung ho to attend networking events, eagerly exchanging cards and shaking hands. A few will follow up within a few days to acknowledge the meeting … but, for many it doesn’t even get that far. And, if it does, we never communicate again.

So here’s your training, fellow networkers. Of course, set up a follow-up system to get in touch with your new colleagues within a few days. Then, add them to your drip-marketing campaign. Maybe you use a CRM system like ACT, or maybe you’re old school and use Excel, but you need to be in touch with these people to remain top of mind. I like Constant Contact, which I use to send monthly e-mails segmented based on people’s interests. That way, they hear from me regularly in messages that share useful information and some personal anecdotes about my life with my son. Because of my drip marketing, potential clients see me as an expert and turn into clients.

Remember, people don’t go to networking events to buy, but if you give them a reason to trust you and build valued credibility, you’re much more likely to see that relationship build and transition into a revenue-generating future.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on August 14, 2009

Whether you’re a business owner, sales rep, or job seeker, you’ve likely attended a networking event where you’ve had to give your 15- or 30-second commercial. As a business owner, I go to these often. I even sub at many BNI meetings, where some offer 60 seconds to say pretty much nothing.

The BNI adage is, “You have to be specific to be terrific.” The crazy thing is that, at one of the BNI groups where I sub, two members used absolute no-nos in their commercials. An Arbonne representative said, “I can help anyone with skin,” and the chiropractor said, “I can help anyone with a spine.” Seriously, it was all I could do not to laugh. These are the examples that are used to NEVER say. When you say “anyone,” people typically hear “no one.”

How do you improve your value statement in 30 seconds? The golden rule is to always consider what you can do to help listeners. If you’re asking for a specific referral, make it specific. The photographer at another BNI group almost always mentions a name. Granted, no one in the room may know that person, but it’s worth a shot. And you can’t be more specific than saying a name. If you’re not looking for one particular person, personalize your approach. Try something like, “When you’re talking to your friends and they say, ‘I’m concerned that my company will be laying off soon,’ – that’s the perfect referral for me.”

Don’t talk about what you do; talk about how you help. For instance (not that this is perfect), I say:

“I’m Amanda Collins, Chief of Staff with The Grammar Doctors. I help you stay in front of your targeted audience through strategic marketing in the form of blogs, newsletters, advertorials, and résumés. If you’d prefer to write these items yourself, I can also edit them to make sure they’re perfect! No matter what your objective is, The Grammar Doctors has the prescription for your word ailments.”

I don’t typically say who my target audience is because, in my experience, I’m usually the only person around who does what I do. Also, once I added “products” to my commercial (as opposed to just services: writing and editing), I noticed that my positive feedback and referrals skyrocketed.

So start thinking about your value proposition. How can you help people? Who’s your best client? Would you be interested in listening to what you’re saying? It’ll likely take some practice and testing to get a few great commercials, but if you’re focused on your listener, you’ll see a difference in the feedback you receive.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on August 3, 2009

When I first launched my business, I had it all wrong. I was living by the credo introduced in “Field of Dreams”: If you build it, they will come. I figured that I would go out to networking events and just end up meeting people who would naturally need my services and become clients. I just needed to show up. Luckily, time has made me wiser than I was when I started.

Networking is an art. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you probably won’t be effective. On the networking circuit, there are a few different types of networkers, some good, some not so much. More of the obvious types you’ve probably encountered include:

• The Card Passer: You know the guy I mean. He’s the one who’s leaving cards on every table, making sure you have one in your hand either during or immediately following the handshake, and somehow manages to get cards into the stalls of the bathrooms – both genders!
• The Wallflower: “I just sit here at the bar and people come up to me.” If you’re gorgeous or in the way of getting alcohol (or both!), this may work. However, the reason for talking to you may have little to do with business and probably won’t turn into much more than a potential story to tell the next day.
• No-Card Guy: As a wordsmith, it’s funny to me anyway when people ask, “Do you have a card?” but this person actually says no! Who goes to an event without cards? If that’s the case, just stay home and stop wasting time because the likelihood you’ll follow up with the folks who gave you cards is slim.

When you go to a networking event, follow a few simple guidelines and you’ll find the experience to be one you’re willing – and eager! – to repeat:

• Take a slew of business cards, but only hand them out to people with whom you’ve spoken or made a connection. And look at each business card you receive, so people feel you value your time with them.
• Try to have five- to ten-minute conversations with a handful of people. Canvassing the room saying hi to everyone isn’t nearly as meaningful.
• Introduce people. If you go with a networking buddy, take turns choosing people to meet and then introduce each other to the new connections.
• Mingle! If you’re not in the mood to talk and “bring it,” stay home.
• Ask key questions: “How may I help you?” “Who is your best customer?” “Where would you like your business to be in five years?” You’ll get to a relationship faster.
• Don’t have expectations of making money. The goal of networking is to create relationships; the money will come in time.

It takes some practice to be the life of the networking party, especially if you’re not an extrovert (no problem for me there), but it’s well worth the investment. Seal the deal by following up with an e-mail, phone call, or hand-written note and you’ll be well on your way to building your business!

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