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Use Networking Skills to Open Doors
Every entrepreneur knows how valuable networking skills are.
Are yours up to par? Take some time here to hone your style,
and pick up more lasting, effective contacts.
OVERVIEW
Like a true entrepreneur, Bill Clinton won the presidency
in 1992 by amassing a vast network of contacts. "Friends of
Bill" helped him raise money and recruit volunteers for the
campaign. A master networker, Clinton found that each
friend he made would in turn introduce him to a handful of
influential VIPs; this snowball effect exponentially
expanded his circle of contacts.
Follow Clinton's lead and network aggressively. That doesn'
t mean you must shake hands with random attendees at trade
conferences and befriend them. A smarter approach is to
leverage your professional contacts and let them open doors
to new opportunities. Networking via referrals from your
friends and acquaintances can prove less harrowing and more
fruitful than "cold cultivating."
In this Quick-Read you will learn:
SOLUTION
Fast-growth entrepreneurs can usually sum up their business
in one simple, compelling sentence. And they're rarely
bashful about hyping their companies to anyone who's
willing to listen.
That's where networking comes in. The more people who know
about you and what you do, the more allies you'll attract.
If you try to forge connections with everyone you meet, you
may not hit it off 100% of the time. But engaging a
stranger in a stimulating or memorable conversation can
launch a relationship that leads to all kinds of benefits.
It all begins when you make a positive first impression. In
face-to-face meetings, stand up straight and balance your
weight on both feet. Loosen your facial muscles so that you
radiate warmth and enthusiasm when you first greet someone.
Don't lean, slouch or grimace when you shake hands. Banish
thoughts of self-doubt (Is that stain visible on my shirt?
Does my hair look good?) and replace them with pangs of
curiosity (What does this person do? What goals do we
share?). Make friendly eye contact during the first ten
seconds to put the other person at ease.
Network on the phone by opening with a "referral statement."
Examples:
These statements instantly explain why you're calling and
how you found that person. This helps the individual
respond openly to you.
Network on the Internet by joining chat rooms and
participating in online forums. Make bold, concise points
while adopting a deferential tone. Respect your readers by
complimenting their insights, asking follow-up questions
and seconding their observations.
If the prospect of networking induces anxiety, use these
pointers to relieve the tension:
1. Ask pleasing questions. You make friends faster if you
invite them to discuss their favorite topics. Look for
chances to ask, "What did you like about the speaker?", "
You've accomplished so much: What are you most proud of?"
or "What qualities do you look for in a great leader?"
2. Emphasize shared concerns. Establish common ground and
you're off and running. If you both know someone, explain
how you met that person. If you're carrying the same laptop
computer model, compare notes. If you've both built
businesses, discuss how you've overcome growing pains.
3. Maintain eye contact. You've heard this before, but it's
still an issue for many people. If you're nervous, you may
look down or away rather than at the other person. That
makes it harder to gain rapport. Transform your anxiety
into positive energy by gesturing freely, smiling
authentically and leaning slightly toward others to show
you want to listen to them.
To expand your network, follow up when friends and
acquaintances refer to others. If they mention some advice
they were given, ask, "Who gave you that great advice?" If
they tell stories about people they've met, ask for names.
Once you gather this information, suggest that they hook
you up with these contacts.
REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE
For Sean Greene, founder and CEO of Away.com, networking is
a means to an end. He's always hunting for new hires for
his growing adventure travel Web site, and he makes it his
hobby to meet people.
He stays in touch with friends from his prior jobs,
including a stint as a senior consultant with McKinsey & Co.,
and former classmates from college and business school.
He also attends travel-industry conferences and
participates in Internet groups in the Washington, D.C.
area where his 75-employee company is based.
Dennis Howitt of Minneapolis, Minn. constantly talks to
people sitting next to him on the plane. "I'm the guy who's
always asking you about your business as we fly from
Chicago to San Francisco…. It's amazing who I meet on those
flights." He asks for a business card at the end of the
conversation and sends a follow-up note when he gets back
to the office, usually attaching a relevant article along
with the note.
DO IT
********************************
2. Internet Sites
"Network Your Peers to Open Doors,"
Edward Lowe Report
http://peerspectives.org/
"For CEOs Only: How to find a CEO peer group that's worth
your time--and money," by Donna Fenn, Inc.
http://www.inc.com/
A failure is a man who has blundered but is not able to cash in on the experience.
Elbert Hubbard
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