With most businesses, failing to plan is planning to fail. It’s the same simple paradigm for networking like a pro instead of like an amateur. And it all starts with the reason(s) why you are networking. Whether you want to learn things to help you do your job better/faster/cheaper/smarter, look for a different job or grow your business, network with a Strategic Plan. Here’s how:
Articles
Move Them By Not Moving
‘Stand & Deliver’, a recent article on harnessing physical delivery power generated several questions from readers. I responded to them privately, but thought all of you would benefit from some excerpts of my comments.
Stop using ASAP!
If you’ve been reading the periodic articles on business writing techniques and strategies found here, you’ve encountered one of my favorite rants – ‘Specific beats Vague’. So, whenever you have a choice between a vague word, like ‘several’ and a specific word like ‘four’, opt for the specific word.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with using ‘several, your reader assumes you know the real number and wonders why you didn’t use it instead. When you use an undefined word, your readers will define it for you … and likely not the way you would have defined it.
Elevator Speech Follow Up
You just returned from a networking event, having delivered a concise, engaging and listener-centric Elevator Speech to Tony. You continued that brief conversation, began a potentially new business relationship and learned more about what Tony does. You exchanged cards, shook hands and moved on to meet someone else. Now … what do you do?
Here are a few follow up and relationship maintenance Best Practices learned from those people on the Varsity Networking Team. They can reinforce the positive first impression you made on Tony and help you establish a mutually beneficial networking relationship with him.
Slow Down … You Talk Too Fast!
Now that you’re all speaking up with more volume and vocal energy, it’s time to slow you down. An important component of your vocal delivery, your pace or rate of speaking can also impact your audience’s attention, interest and opinion of you. So can your ability to pause effectively.
Slow Down
Just as audience members tend to perceive a soft-spoken speaker as lacking in confidence or credibility, they react similarly to a fast-talking speaker. It doesn’t matter if this perception is accurate because their perception is your reality. You are what they think you are.
Just Say ‘No’ To Laser Pointers
Recently, a website visitor asked ‘Why do you recommend against using a laser pointer?’ There are three issues about laser pointers that erode your image of competency or credibility:
Link In With Style & Class
How often does this happen to you? The day after you attend a business networking event, you get a few generic email requests to Link In with people you chatted with for two minutes. They say ‘I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn’. Or, even worse, ‘Because you’re a friend … or … someone I trust … ‘.
I get several of these unsolicited requests a week from 2nd level connections I don’t know, people I met very briefly or who were in the audience for one of my presentations.
Stand & Deliver
Audience-Centric presenters harness the Physical Power of their bodies by standing and delivering with credibility and confidence. Because your audience only knows what it sees, your body can be a great natural visual aid. It can also show nervousness or lack of confidence very quickly and clearly. So … look the part you’re playing – a confident and credible presenter.
KISS Your Verbosity Goodbye!
Let’s deal with an often unpleasant reality. As business leaders, we spend a lot of each day writing – emails, reports, proposals, marketing materials, evaluations … well, you get the picture. We should all add the title ‘Workplace Writer’ to our business cards.
And we often write more than we need. Those extra – and unnecessary – words waste our time to write them and our readers’ time to read them. They even can get in the way of our messages. What follows, then, is a quick review of ‘Keep It Short & Simple’ techniques to help you KISS your verbosity goodbye – for making every word count and counting every word.
Network With A Comfortable Handshake
When you’re networking, begin making the very best first impression you can on the strangers you meet with a winning smile and good eye contact. Then, continue that positive image with a comfortable handshake.
- As you introduce yourself, shake hands briefly and energetically. Firm but painless is the key. An energetic handshake suggests an energetic person. A wimpy handshake suggests … well, you get the picture.