Keys to successful networking

When you’re networking, it’s important to make a good first impression. Beyond passing out your business cards, the people you speak with should know what you do professionally, what you sell, what you are looking for…. More concretely: why did you attend the event and why did you get into a conversation with someone you didn’t know? We’re going to tell you the strategy to use during the coffee break in order to be remembered by the professionals you want to meet.

Introduce yourself, shake hands, share something about yourself or your business, ask questions, and remember the details…. The time spent networking at events or conferences isn’t usually that long, so it’s important to have some tricks to make these precious few moments productive. It’s about making quality contacts that can help you achieve your next professional goal. Take note of these guidelines so that you triumph at your next networking opportunity:

Prepare in advance

Thinking ahead and preparing in advance is key in any social situation. Imagine who you would like to speak to: what type of contact you need, what industry or business are they associated with….. Take a look at the guest list of the event in question. And if you’re very interested in a particular person, ask someone from the organization about them. They can undoubtedly help you find them

Perfect your “elevator pitch”

Do you know what that is? It’s a quick presentation (under 2 minutes) about your job, project or company, with the objective being not to sell per se, but to generate enough interest to get a subsequent interview or meeting. Rehearse it before trying it out at a networking event so that you have it down perfectly – but only in the right moment. Try out 30 and/or 60 second presentations with someone you trust so you can see what kind of results it produces.

You can also try out the “stoplight strategy”:

• During the first 20 seconds, the light is green: the person you are speaking with is happy to listen to you, as long as what you are talking about is relevant to them.
• In the next 20 seconds, the light changes to yellow: you are running the risk that the other person is beginning to lose interest or think you are a bore.
• From this moment, the light is red. Stop. Don’t say another word. Even though you want to keep talking about yourself or your business, it’s better not to (unless the person shows a real interest).

Show interest

Instead of only talking about yourself and your qualities, try to get to know the other person before requesting a meeting. Ask questions, because almost everyone likes to talk about themselves. You’ll likely get a more interesting response with: “Why did you decide to move to this city?” instead of simply asking “How long have you been living here?”. If you let the other person speak, they will tell you a lot of information about themselves and that way you can guide the conversation to topics relevant to them and create a stronger bond.

Look for areas of emotional connection

Don’t limit yourself to just making professional connections, try to go deeper, with empathy. This way there’s a better chance they won’t forget you. Upon receiving a business card, some people write one or two words about the person and the conversation they had with them. Surely you can remember a joke or something you had in common!

Come up with a strategy to start a conversation

If speaking with people you don’t know isn’t your forte, that moment you have to go up to someone at a networking event and strike up a conversation probably makes you nervous.

You can try the classic route: approach them, shake hands and introduce yourself. Next, show interest and add: What do you do? What brought you here? Or if you prefer a more daring approach: What’s your story? You’ll undoubtedly get a less conventional answer! Or some people will use the refreshments that are being served at the time to start a conversation about food to learn about the tastes of the other person….

Avoid giving your cards out left and right

It is unprofessional and doesn’t help you to maintain relationships afterwards. It’s better to use the time really trying to get to know a few people.

Step out of your comfort zone

Especially if you have attended the event with colleagues from work, take advantage of the opportunity to widen your network of contacts. You should also try to get know people from the competition.

Remember that networking is one of the most important parts of any meeting or event, even if it sometimes feels a little uncomfortable. Maybe the easiest way to go is to have conventional conversations. But if you practice these strategies before the event, you will feel less nervous and soon you will see how your list of contacts grows.