ABC of Networking

I have broken down some networking tips into some easy to remember parts. I hope it helps. I want to follow up with some other handy tips on what to talk about and how best to move around a room, not getting stuck too long in one conversation. I hope you enjoy!

Ask Questions

Have you ever been stuck with someone who talks about a subject that you are not interested in or they are already deep in conversation with someone already. The best way to start get into conversation is to ask questions. If nothing else, you will learn something. When was the last time you felt good about someone, was it the person who was interested in what you had to say? Ta Da! It was the questions that showed you they were interested.

Be Nice

This sounds a bit silly, but if you dismiss what someone says or tell them they are wrong 2 minutes after you have met them, how do you think they will feel about you after that encounter. A quote I love (which I can’t reference)

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always”

This helps me think about my daily interactions. Life is tough, you are having a bad day, so, maybe, is someone else. What makes you special in this regard? Nothing. Remember that sometimes, just a kind word can change someone’s day and, more importantly, mood.

Concentrate on what they have to say

Or another way to say this, is Listen (but that wouldn’t fit into my alphabet!). Don’t look across the room at other people or see who else is around. Really listen and take in what the person is saying. I tend to write things down and it helps me concentrate on what is being said, but sometimes this may not be appropriate. By going back to asking questions, you can clarify what they are saying and by repeating some of what they have said in your own words means it is more easily retained in the memory. By listening, you can watch their face and see how they feel about the subjects they are talking about. Again, their face then becomes memorable too.

Don’t interrupt

This goes back to being a listener and being nice. Whilst others are talking, many people are thinking about what they are going to say and get so excited, they talk over someone else. We teach our children not to interrupt when adults are talking as they sit there minute after minute waiting for a space. What this teaches them is to wait for someone to take a breath and get started as soon as there is a space. Be more considered with your responses. Wait until there is a gap in conversation. If there isn’t one, perhaps you won’t get to hold court today. But another day, you may get your spotlight. Often the most quiet person is seen as enigmatic, so once you have spoken people may think you are the wisest in the room. Or in my case, maybe not!

Exchange details

This isn’t necessary, but for me, meeting new people should always be about seeing how you can help them, by connecting them to someone else or by passing on a little knowledge that could be useful. If you don’t exchange details, you won’t be able to help them properly and your offers will sound and be empty promises. Some people may not want to pass their details to you, so don’t sweat it if you don’t.

Follow up with them afterwards

I am not sure if there is etiquette on this, but if someone has given me their business card, I think it is only courteous to follow up with a message. This can only be done if you have exchanged details. It allows you to follow up with your offer of help or ask any questions that you may have missed when talking with them. As networking is seen as the most basic form of business development, how can you build a good business relationship if you only contact them out of the blue 2 years after you met? This is where LinkedIn comes into its own. By doing the above, I have managed to have some really interesting conversations with people who know a lot about their specialist subjects. I have learned so much and to me that is the sign of a good day! Hope yours is good too. Ghilaine @LadyGhilaine

What does generosity mean to you?

Wikipedia states that Generosity (also called largess or largesse) is the habit of giving without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets or talents to aid someone in need.

Can you grow your business with generosity?

Many people think that in business you need to be ruthless: don’t make friends with your staff, you may have to sack them later; it’s a dog eat world out there, I don’t want to be the ‘mug’ left at the bottom

Remember your staff are your best customers, they know the product, they know how to make it better, they hear views directly from your clients, they have views, they have ideas. They are your most valuable resource.

What would happen if you treated them well, were generous, paid them fairly?

I spoke to a lovely lady last week, who runs a company where her team set their own wage. I am meeting more and more people with successful companies who understand that giving more means increasing productivity, loyalty and above all makes the place of work enjoyable. There are countless articles out there on how to make your company more productive that supports this view.

This is not a new concept, companies like Rowntree and Cadbury understood that businesses that takes care of their employees, thrive. Whilst they are held up as great philanthropists, they also understood it was good for business. Henry Ford understood that overworking employees made them less productive. He knew that by paying his staff well, he was creating loyalty and hard work.

From these examples we can see that if you give in the right way, you benefit. Here at Tech Talkfest, we recommend, very highly, the book Give and Take, by Adam Grant. Without being mercenary, it shows that by being a giver, you not only benefit the world around you, you are likely to make it better for yourself too.

Chatting to Amanda Davie, from Reform Digital, this week, we talked about how unusual it is to find generous and giving people out there. Reflecting on this some more with a very good friend who is a member of Tech Talkfest, we agreed that we were very fortunate to be surrounded by this rare group of people, to the point where we just assume that everyone is. I had a very different conversation with a young man that is working on his start up with the help of MSVentures Accelerator program. I hope he managed to take something away from our conversation and if nothing else appreciates that there are many out there that will give to him and if he passes that gift on to someone else, he makes the world a better place.

Hope you have a generous weekend! It is as simple as passing on a smile to someone else.