Your Net Worth is Your Network
Networking within your small business community is crucial as a growing entrepreneur, and in-person events present a great opportunity for getting to know other business professionals. But these conversations can be hard to approach, and you don’t always know how to make a meaningful connection. Here are some tips on how to better your networking skills at in-person events:
1. Come Prepared
If you’re planning to network at an event, be sure you have everything you need. This includes dressing professionally, having business cards or an easy way of giving out your information, and a plan.
2. Know who you might want to meet and why.
Having a goal will give some direction to the conversations you’re likely to have. Maybe even have some conversation starters planned out. If there is a presentation, you can start by referring back to something the panelists said as a conversation starter. All of this preparation will help you go into the event well-equipped and ready to network.
3. Be a Genuine Listener
Make sure every conversation you have is as good of an experience for you as it is for the other person. Politely introduce yourself when approaching a group of people, and ask their names as well. Be sure to listen before you speak, learning who you’re talking to and even asking questions. Showing others that you’re actively listening and interested in what they have to say will open them up to you and show you’re a worthwhile connection.
4. Be Concise and Impactful
When it’s your turn to talk, get to the point, summarizing what you’re about in 2-3 sentences. When someone asks you what you do for work, don’t respond with your title. Try this template from Robbie Samuels, a virtual design event consultant and recognized networking expert by Forbes and the Harvard Business Review. Samuels said in an interview with LifeKit to respond to the title question with, “I help blank do blank so they can blank.’ And if you do this right, the answer you're going to get back to that statement is, how? How do you do that? And when you then share maybe a quick client story that illustrates this, now you're into a conversation.” If they ask questions, elaborate but still keep things concise so others also feel they have space to share. After you finish a conversation, write down some notes about important details. If they gave you a business card, write these notes on the back of it so you have the information nearby when you connect with them later.
5. Following Up
Within 24 hours of the event, reach out to the connections you made with an email, letting them know how great it was to meet them and how you would like to do business with them in the future. Add them on LinkedIn, and engage with their posts or updates. If they are a panelist on a virtual event, tune in and send them an email afterwards congratulating them. Stay engaged with your loose ties and be genuine. You’ve now started to grow your business network from a simple conversation to an expansive community.
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