How To ACE Networking

Networking is easy. Okay, okay, I hear your disbelief. Networking CAN be easy.  It is all in how you look at it. Like most things in life, Attitude is Everything.

How can networking be made easy? First, consider your approach. Networking is all about what you can do for someone else. Yes, you read that right. It is not what others can do for you. It is all about what you can do for someone else.

When you are considering how you can help others, they will naturally want to reciprocate. That is the networking connection. That is the networking payoff. Here is how to do it.

Awareness

Great, you met someone, now you have to put yourself in their field of awareness within a week of connecting. Within seven days, you send an e-mail and say, “It was so nice to meet you at …”

reCall

Recall what they said to you. At some point, they are going to say something personal and you need to recall it. By remembering to listen and focusing on them, it will take the pressure off you and make this encounter easier. You still need to have your “elevator speech” or Brand-You Sound bite, at the ready to communicate who you are and what you’re about. However, if your focus is them, they will remember you. You will stand out from the crowd of people who only want something from them. You will be refreshing.

Extra

You have to give them something extra, nothing to do with your business, just a nice little gesture. The next sentence in your email could be, “I remember you talked about wanting to show your dog. Here is a cool website link to dog show preparation and procedures.” This does two things for you. First, you flatter them by remembering something personal and non-business related. That makes this a personal connection. Second, because you aren’t asking for something, they will want to do something nice for you in return.

Networking is all about personal connections in a business environment. Personal. Not business related. Let’s say they talk about wanting to get ahead at their job or branch into another field. If you provide information to help them achieve that transition, you are still helping them achieve a personal goal. So, if the “cool website link” is to this blog or other leadership site, you are still providing a personal boost.

At the very least, you will get a response to your email. At the very most, you will win yourself a brand-new network connection. Now is when you can ask if they know of any job openings in your field or anyone who might be able to help them. Networking is very like barter. You have to provide the goods or payment up front.

Stay in their Awareness, reCall their personal interest, and provide something Extra for them. You can ACE networking! And, you too will gain valuable connections.

This Week’s Coaching:

This is all about getting out of your comfort zone and meeting new people. For each new person that you make a face-to-face connection with, follow the above steps. Stay in their Awareness by sending them an email or making a phone call within seven days. ReCall that personal thing about them. Provide that something Extra to them (website, article, information, a lead, another person, etc.). Do this for five people. You can mix it up with some old contacts and new contacts. You will notice it gets easier as you go along.

You can ACE networking. It can be easy. Get out and do it today!

What is your best networking tip? Please share it below so everyone can benefit from your knowledge. We are in this together and together we’ll get through these tough times and thrive.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com