Consistent Action in a Purposeful Manner is the Key to Networking Success

While most people don't want to hear it, the key to success in networking is consistency.  Nothing will replace consistent action in a purposeful manner.  You must plan your networking success and work your plan consistently, making adjustments as you go to ensure you are getting the most for your efforts.

Most of us have heard of someone who came to his or her first networking event and met a great prospect that became a client.  Many have even heard of someone who has done business at a networking event.  Perhaps you have had the good fortune of meeting someone who was in need of your product or service and you closed the business at the event.  It does happen.

But patience and perseverance are required in networking as in most every other endeavor in life.  Consistency is the key to success.  Joining a health club doesn't make you healthy.  Once you join you have a greater likelihood of going, and once you go you have a greater likelihood of using the equipment.  Using the equipment doesn't ensure health either.  It is the purposeful use of the equipment in the proper fashion and proportion consistently that ensures improved health.

Networking is very similar.  Joining a group increases the likelihood that you will attend a meeting or event.  Attending increases the likelihood that you will actually engage in a conversation with another attendee.  Engaging in conversation increases the chances that you will meet someone who could use your product or service.  But the purposeful planning of which meetings and events to attend and whom you wish to meet, coupled with the successful execution of that plan, will ensure that you are successful in networking and in your business endeavor.

The old saying, "who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you are saying" applies in networking.  While your appearance plays an important role,  how often you appear at events is critical.  People will begin to know, like, and trust you when they see you more often.  This increases the odds that they will remember you when they meet someone who needs what you sell.

Therefore, you should plan out your networking for the next six weeks and stick to it.  Measure your success at each event and determine if the right connections are attending the same events you are.  Be honest with yourself.  How well did you connect?  How much did you give each event?  What impacted your results?

Be sure to visit each event or group more than once before you decide to fully engage or eliminate it from your plan.  Then be decisive.  Choosing a few events or groups to fully engage in each month will bring far better results than taking a shotgun approach.  You'll begin to see the same people and they will see you as reliable.  Then they will open up their contact list to you.  This is when networking becomes powerful.  Remember, meeting people and doing business with them individually is great, but the real power comes when you gain access to their contacts and referrals.

Networking success requires a plan and that plan requires consistently attending events and meetings and measuring your success.  When you fully engage and consistently attend you will find better relationships, better use of your time, more referrals, and greater success.  Be consistent.


Knock, Knock! - Know Who is There at Networking Events - Lunch Groups

Whether you realize it or not you have been to a networking lunch.  Food, lunch time, and more than one person are the requirements for a networking lunch.  Having lunch with a prospect or co-worker is a networking lunch by definition.  But for our conversation we will focus on structured, multi-attendee networking luncheons.

Most networking luncheons attract a wide variety of people from all business categories with one common bond; nearly all will be directly or indirectly responsible for sales at the company they represent.  For this reason the networking lunch takes on a different personality than all other networking events.

Networking luncheons vary from structured events with a formal meal and keynote speaker to a loosely tied together group where everyone brings their own "brown-bag" lunch.  What makes networking luncheons different from networking events at other times during the day (aside from the preponderance of sales people in the room) is the compressed time frame.  Most people who attend networking luncheons have scheduled meetings before and after the lunch and therefore have limited time.

Except for the largest groups, most networking luncheons provide an opportunity for the attendees to give their elevator speech or sixty-second commercial.  Few people who attend networking luncheons are shy since there are many sales related professionals in the room.  You should be prepared to deliver a self-introduction for one-on-one interactions and to the audience that is concise and audience-focused.  You have approximately seven seconds to gain the interest of the listener before he or she mentally turns you off.

One of the best things about networking luncheons is that you will easily meet new people if you want to.  Even if you attend with a co-worker, sit with someone you haven't met.  By the time the lunch is over you will know a lot about your new friend and they will know a lot about you.  This is the beginning of a relationship that will lead to more connections.  You can't help but get to know people when you share a meal with them.

Since most of the people at networking luncheons are in sales, they will have a vast network of connections and it is highly likely that someone in the room will know the person or people you are trying to meet.  Focus on the people you meet and the ways you can help them.  When asked, clearly state the benefits you can offer others and the connections you are seeking.  You can quickly open doors through the relationships you will forge at networking luncheons.

But heed this one word of caution.  Except formal events, a networking luncheon is a relaxed atmosphere. Since there are so many sales people at networking luncheons, you may mistake their candor as sales pushiness.  While there will be a few pushy sales people to be certain, the vast majority of the group is there to meet new people and grow their network.  Although it does happen, don't go expecting to sell something to someone that day.  And bring plenty of business cards but don't hand one out unless asked.   Rarely does anyone follow up with someone from an unsolicited card.

Networking luncheons provide an outstanding opportunity to meet a lot of people and to meet many who know the people you need to know.  Just remember that the networking luncheon is a time-compressed, full contact, networking event. It requires a clear understanding of the attendees and for you to have a concise, audience-focused message.  Be certain to attend, meet new people, and follow-up promptly and you will win big at networking luncheons.