We've stressed the importance of networking many times in The Green Sheet. By now, we all know it's VITAL. The challenge now moves to discovering how to do it and who our networking contacts should be. If you're attending a conference or seminar, or simply having lunch with some colleagues, how do you identify the people who CAN help you and are willing to do so?
Before the Event
Before you attend a seminar or other business gathering, do some detective work. View this as a prospecting opportunity for networking and treat it as you would treat a prospecting opportunity for sales. Find out all you can about the people who will be there. Ask around with your associates, go on-line and do a simple search under proper names or companies, or visit local papers (either on-line or in person) and see if any of the attendees have been in the news and why.
During the Event
Once you've met a potentially valuable contact, make a commitment. Listen intently and invest your time and energy into your time together. Even if you think you may be at a dead-end and neither of you can help each other, give it some time. You may learn that this person really can help you reach your goals.
OK, so you've chatted with your new contact. NOW's the time to commit all the important data to memory. Don't limit the data to what they do and whom they work for-you have a business card for that. Note other items, such as a bit about their history, or a new endeavor they were excited about. Find ways in which your interests merge or complement each other.
As you get to know your new contact, remember that networking isn't just about what the contact can do for you; you can be very valuable and interesting to him or her. Sure, you wake up as the same person every day and you do the same job every day; you may even be getting a little bored with yourself. But, your contact is meeting you for the first time. You are an ambassador for your industry, your company, and yourself. Don't play down what you do or the importance of your position. Make it exciting.
NOW's the important part: What is your link to each other? What can you do to help your new contact? What will you do now that will further both of your careers? If you don't know the answers to these questions, ask! A simple, "What projects are you working on now? Do you think I might know someone who could help you with that?" Can get you the answers you need. This helping hand could make all the difference now and down the road when YOU need a hand.
