I had lunch with a friend yesterday. He is a natural networker. I have noticed over the years that he truly seems to enjoy networking. He has built his business by connecting people to each other, thus broadening his own network of loyal friends and clients.
Stepping out of comfort zones and meeting new people is difficult for some people, but it’s also the easiest way to market and build your organization. At lunch we discussed things we both do at events that have helped us to meet some really great people-including each other!
Here are five quick tips from our conversation:
- Arrive Early. Strive to be among the first people to arrive at an event. Station yourself near the entrance so you can welcome or greet people you already know and meet new people as they enter the event.
- Talk to people you don’t know. Step out of your comfort zone! Approach people you haven’t met. Many people will appreciate that you’ve initiated the conversation.
- Be interested, not interesting. Ask about them, their business, their passions. This makes the person you are talking to comfortable and it’s really fun!
- Connect them to others. Helping new contacts to expand their network makes you valuable and more memorable. This makes new contacts think of you as a good resource, builds trust, and may lead to future business.
- Follow up! Send an email, Facebook message, or connect on LinkedIn. Follow up on your conversation. Connect them via this message to others who you think would be beneficial to their organization. Invite them to meet again over coffee.