4 Tips on How to Network Effectively

Networking can be a great way to build your business by getting in front of more prospects and referral partners, but networking is a skill, and like any other skill, it takes some practice to get it right. If you’ve been networking, but not getting any leads (or clients, or referral partners) from all the networking you’re doing, it might be time to build up your networking skills. Start by using these tips to network more effectively.

Be Strategic About Where You’re Networking

If you’re not getting the results you need from your networking efforts, the first question you need to ask is whether you’re networking in the right places. There are tons of networking opportunities out there, so before you start signing up for everything that fits on your calendar, take some time to investigate your options. Is your target audience likely to be hanging out there? Your target audience could be prospective clients, referral partners, or both. If neither group is likely to be at those networking events, don’t waste your time with people who won’t buy from you or introduce you to people who might buy from you.

Be Prepared

Make sure you have your business cards with you and that all the information on those cards is up to date.

Practice your elevator pitch. You don’t need to write it down and rehearse it word for word, but if doing so makes you feel more comfortable, go for it. At the very least you should have a few bullet points you know you want to cover. Make sure they’re things that will speak to your target audience’s pain points and make them sit up and pay attention.

​Be Organized

Have a place to put all the business cards you collect so you can follow up with them later. A lost business card is a lost opportunity, so make sure you know ahead of time where all the business cards are going so you can keep them together while you’re networking.

Pro tip: write notes on the business cards to remind yourself of the conversation you had with them so you can mention it when you follow up.

Follow Up

I’ve written a whole blog post about how the fortune is in the follow up, so I’m not going to waste too much time on it here, but it is important enough to be worth repeating. Don’t just sit by the phone after every networking event waiting for people to call you. They might have lost your business card or been too busy to reach out to you, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to hear from you. Reach out and see if they’d be interested in continuing the conversation you started at the networking event. Be sure to mention anything specific you discussed with them at the event to help jog their memory.

If you think you’re doing everything right, but you’re still struggling to build your business, it might be time to hire a Strategy Rockstar to help you reach your goals. Schedule a FREE clarity call now to see if coaching is right for you.