Do you network?

I think back to my first networking event in the Lehigh Valley (over 3 years ago!!) and reflect on how WELCOMED I felt. I realized I never thanked those that took the time to get to know me, to introduce yourself and to make sure I didn’t feel lost among the sea of strange faces.

If you are new to networking, don’t worry – Lehigh Valley is a place of many great people that want to help you. They will be there to guide you through the room, take the time to introduce you to other like-minded people and with time they will be the friendly face you see wherever you go.

When attending a function, you should focus on growing your professional and personal connections. Networking is not an overnight success and you have to commit yourself and your time to see the rewards. It is also important that you are authentic about the connections that you make. If you go to an event with the only intention of selling yourself and your product/service you will probably be disappointed with the outcome. However, if you go with an open mind you might connect with someone that can become a big influence in your life.

The best example of the ‘magic’ behind networking happened few months ago. I was having a one-to-one meeting with a local business mentor. While we were catching up with our business I told her about a friend who was looking for a very specialized attorney. At the end of the meeting, I walked away with two referrals for local attorneys that I passed on to my friend. Even though neither one of us walked away with ‘new’ business we were able to connect two other people that might have never met otherwise.

• If you are new to networking and don’t know where to start my suggestion would be to connect with a local Chamber of Commerce. They will usually allow you to attend a few events without joining. You can get a feel for the atmosphere and see if it is a good fit for your needs. Besides the Chamber, there are MANY local opportunities for you to get out there. There are business groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Meetup etc. They each attract a different group of people. Try them out and see which one fits the best. Based on your personality you may prefer a group that meets once a week and has a structured schedule. Others, might prefer random events that benefit a local non-profit. If you want, you can probably attend 3-4 networking functions a week! Just think of how quickly your network will grow.
• So you picked a couple of networking events, now what? Wear something comfortable, put on a smile and remember everyone here was at one point new to networking. Look for a friendly face, introduce yourself, shake their hand and ask away. Listening goes a long way.  Remember, your goal is to build a relationship and not to decide if the person you are talking to is a ‘candidate for your business’.

You might be tempted to give out your card to everyone in the room. Your card is really only as good as the impression you leave with the person. It might be best to try to wait to the end of the conversation.

• Once you attend a few functions, you will realize that you are seeing many of the same people. Try to keep your conversations balanced between those you know well and people you never met. It is very easy to fall into the ‘social’ level of networking and forget that you are there to develop relationships and not to ‘hang out’ with friends. I usually try to create a goal before attending a function. If the guest list is available, I will review it and choose 3 people I really would like an opportunity to meet. If I just added a new staff member to the team, I might try to spotlight them during my conversations with people. If my friend needs a plumber, I will ask around for referrals. Having these goals will help you focus on what you would like to accomplish. Sometimes these events might be overwhelming - remember to take a deep breath and smile!

You are finally home … exhausted … what to do now?

The first thing I do (sometimes I do it right in the car before I head home) is to make a note on back of each business card with the following:

a. Date we met

b. Location we met

c. Name of the function

d. Short physical description of the person (so that I can always put a face to a name)

e. Short description of their business

f. What they are looking for – how can I help them

g. Additional notes (ex: if I need to send them information, if I happen to remember the spouse’s name etc)
 

Within the next 48 hours I would focus to do the following for each new contact I made:

a. Review their website

b. Send out a personal email thanking the person for their time

c. Connect via LinkedIn

d. Like their business Facebook page

e. Review any additional social sites the business participates in

f. Enter their information in a database (either manually or via business card scanner)

g. Do not automatically add them to your newsletter/mailing list. This will come as you grow a relationship with them.
 

Remember, our ultimate goal is to get to know others in our community so we can help one another grow our business. Building a professional relationship is very similar to ‘dating’ – it takes time and effort from both participants. Take some time to think about your new connections and pick 3 that you would like to get to know on a more personal level. I know some that follow a very strategic plan when they schedule their ‘coffee dates’. For me it varies: sometimes it might be someone that I don’t understand what their business is all about, other times it is a service I think a client of mine might need, it could be someone that offers the same services as I, or someone that I might not be able to utilize their product or service right away but that doesn’t mean I can’t refer them or use them down the road.

Networking is truly a great tool that if time allows should be utilized by everyone. Not only will your business benefit from the time invested, but you will find yourself developing a support system that will be there for you cheering you on when you need them the most.

You may have come across some of our team members during local functions. We have been blessed to be able to attend functions representing other businesses and/or work the function itself. If you are interested in finding out more information about our team of Personal Assistants we would be happy to schedule a complimentary meet-n-greet. Let us handle your business needs while you focus on growing your business. As always, there are no minimums to utilize our services. Please note, on average it takes us 4-6 weeks to on-board a new client. Contact us early to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to go through our process. We look forward to hearing from you soon!