Business Networking For Dummies

Grow your business, build your career, find more customers, and build a valuable support network of likeminded business people. Networking is a crucial skill for all professionals and business owners. Quite simply, it’s a fast and effective way to build your business or career - and excellent networking skills will set you apart from the competition. Business Networking For Dummies shows you how to get the most out of networking - both online and offline. With Business Networking For Dummies, you’ll learn to: Use business networking to grow and develop your business Find the right platform or platforms to build your own network and ‘assemble your crowd’ Pitch yourself and your business with confidence Get the most out of face-to-face networking events - including valuable tips on presentation skills and sound bites! Join up your ‘real life’ and online networking Measure your networking success Follow up with new contacts successfully “This is a cornerstone book for anyone involved in running a smaller business and wishing to deploy networking as an enquiry source. It is clear, concise and provides a complete education for succeeding in, what is for some, a difficult environment." Ben Kench, Leading UK sales trainer and business growth specialist "I’ve read this entire book from start to finish and so should you because, when you know what you’re doing, business networking does work, and by following the blueprint that Stef has set down for you: first you’ll learn, then you’ll earn.” Brad Burton, Managing Director, 4Networking Ltd.

Table of Contents:
Foreword xv Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3 Part I: Getting Started with Business Networking 5 Chapter 1: Getting to Grips with Networking Basics 7 Understanding Business Networking 7 Starting with ‘Why?’ 8 Noting the ‘why’ of networking 9 Figuring out your ‘why’ 10 Talking to Strangers (Ignore Your Parents’ Advice) 11 Knowing Who Uses Networking 12 Realising It’s Not All Funny Handshakes and Old Boys Clubs 15 Finding Networking Opportunities 15 Following Networking Guidelines 16 Networking in a Nutshell: Different Formats 17 Understanding unstructured networking meetings 17 Seeking out structured networking meetings 18 Networking formats you’re likely to encounter 18 Business networking and referral marketing – same difference? 19 Chapter 2: Exploring Different Aspects of Networking 23 Networking for the Employed 23 Building your skillset using networking 25 Meeting people in the same industry to swap ideas 27 Keeping up to date with trends in your industry 28 Meeting your next boss – career building and future proofing 28 Networking for the Business Owner 29 Promoting your business 29 Finding trusted suppliers: Real-life Google 31 Keeping up to date with trends in business 33 Creating your virtual team: The future of business 33 Networking as Marketing 34 Clarifying your marketing aims 35 Reaping the benefits of business networking 35 Networking Meets Social Media 36 Seeing the relevance 36 Making the most of social media 37 Chapter 3: Setting (Realistic) Expectations 39 Recognising Why You Need to Set Expectations 39 Thinking about what You Expect to Get Out of Networking 40 Coping with your first networking event 41 Knowing That Networking Isn’t Without Effort 42 Keeping track of your schedule 43 Being patient 44 Chapter 4: Making Use of Networking Organisations 47 Finding the Right Organisation for You 48 Start locally 49 Match your business to the prospect 49 Finding Independent Networking Clubs 50 Contacting your local chamber of commerce 51 Finding local independent networking groups 51 Joining Commercial Networking Organisations (in the UK) 52 4Networking 54 BNI 54 Business Scene 55 FSB 55 NRG 56 Women-only networking organisations 56 Coming across Co-working 56 Co-working hubs 57 KindredHQ 57 Regus 58 Specialist and Niche Networking Organisations and Groups 58 Understanding the Politics of Networking Groups 59 Running Your Own Networking Club 60 Remembering Why You Got Involved 62 Chapter 5: Networking at Trade Shows 65 Knowing What to Expect from a Trade Show 65 The Great British Business Show 66 The Welsh Business Shows 66 New Start Scotland 67 Finding Local and National Trade Shows 67 Making Your Trade Show Experience a Success 68 Networking at trade shows, big or small 69 Becoming part of the crowd 70 Feeling the Need for Speed Networking 71 Doing something different 71 Following up 72 Part II: Face-to-face Networking 73 Chapter 6: Attending Networking Meetings 75 Finding Time to Network 75 Recognising that networking is real work 76 Networking to suit you and your business 77 Using your time twice 78 Deciding What to Wear and What to Take with You 79 Making sure that you understand the dress code 79 Thinking about the impression you want to make 80 Being prepared with business cards – and plenty of them 81 Taking promotional material 81 Knowing What Time to Arrive 82 Checking the meeting timings 82 Entering as an early bird or fashionably late? 82 Calming Your Nerves 83 Knowing why your nerves may be your biggest asset 85 Keeping on top of first-time jitters 86 Managing your nerves and appearing confident 87 Knowing what time to go home 89 Chapter 7: Making Connections in Open Networking 91 Understanding Open Networking 91 Introducing Yourself to People You Don’t Know 92 Recognising that everyone’s in the same boat 92 Choosing who to approach 93 Making an Impression 95 The handshake 96 Starting a conversation 98 Answering ‘So, what do you do?’ 100 Chapter 8: Nailing the Introductions Round 103 Getting the Scoop on the Introductions Round 103 Remembering that you’re trying to get the interview, not the job 105 Avoiding the elevator pitch error 105 Standing Out from the Crowd 107 Preparation, preparation, preparation 107 Think about what they might be buying, not what you’re selling 108 Using soundbites 109 Using props 110 Understanding body language 111 Can you hear me? 114 Injecting your introduction with passion and confidence 116 Rules to Follow and Things to Avoid 116 Introducing Sample Templates for Your Introduction 117 The attention grabber 118 The third-party endorsement 122 Remembering What You Planned to Say 125 Chapter 9: Handling One-to-Ones 127 Getting the Scoop on One-to-Ones 127 Having a one-to-one with everyone 128 Getting the Most from One-to-Ones 129 Where to have a one-to-one 129 When to have a one-to-one 130 Asking open questions 132 Are you listening or waiting for your turn to speak? 134 Making notes to follow up with 134 Taking notes like a pro 135 Knowing What to Do After the Meeting 136 Chapter 10: Breezing Through the Ten-Minute Speaker Slot 137 Recognising the Opportunity 137 Reaping the benefits 139 Understanding stock value 140 Planning and Preparing 140 Looking at Different Networks, Different Opportunities, Different Approaches 141 Using ten minutes to talk about your business 141 Using ten minutes not to talk about your business 145 Structuring Your Presentation 151 Questions and answers 151 Checking your timings 152 Coping when the day comes 152 Chapter 11: Following Up 155 Following Up to Win 155 Ouch! Dealing with Your Piles 156 Making the most of business cards 157 Using CRM systems 160 Evaluating email marketing software 161 Following Up Successfully 162 Thinking about your follow up 163 Being creative 164 Reminding People about Your Business 166 Asking for business 166 Asking for referrals 168 Part III: Networking Online and Using Social Media 171 Chapter 12: Networking Online 173 Introducing Online Networking 174 Finding Business Networking Forums 175 Joining an Online Community 175 Becoming Part of Any Community 178 Advertising is Okay (Sometimes) 179 Calling First Means That You Often Get the Job 180 Establishing Yourself as the ‘Go-To Guy’ in the Community 181 Chapter 13: Using Social Media to Keep Relationships Alive 183 Venturing into Social Media 183 Realising that the times, they are a-changing 184 Entering social media 185 Winning Friends and Influencing People 185 Finding common ground 186 Forming meaningful relationships 186 Going local, regional, national or international 187 Joining in other people’s conversations 188 Staying in Your Contacts’ Field of Vision 189 Going beyond: Following up with social media 190 Thinking business? Think personal as well 192 Spotting easy referral opportunities 196 Getting Maximum Value from Blogging by Hardly Writing a Word 196 Curating information about your industry or profession 198 Remembering it’s about conversation not content 199 Chapter 14: Networking Using Different Social Media Platforms 203 Choosing the Right Platform for Your Business 203 Twitter 204 Facebook 207 LinkedIn 208 Google+ 209 Blogs 210 Instagram 210 Vine 211 Foursquare 211 Pinterest 212 Taking the Next Steps in Social Media 212 Chapter 15: Joining Up Your Online and Offline Networking 215 Acknowledging that People are People – However You Connect 215 Finding Your Strongest Connections 217 Meeting People Before You Meet Them 219 Researching your prospects 220 Listening online, then speaking on the phone 221 Part IV: Turbo-charging Your Networking 225 Chapter 16: Using Networking to Build Your Business 227 Standing Out in Networking 227 Putting in the effort 228 Remembering that networking isn’t easy 229 Engaging your brain and engaging your network 230 Finding better ways to advertise than shouting to strangers 231 Boosting Your Business with Personal Branding 233 Learning from Evian’s posh bottles 234 Being a product of the product 236 Using Networking as an Excuse 238 Getting to your ideal prospects using networking 238 Using networking for businesses that can’t cold call 240 Chapter 17: Building Networking into Your Business Strategy 241 Circles Within Circles: It Isn’t Just About Who You Know 241 Staying in Touch When You Said You Would 243 Finding people to talk to 243 Growing your network as people come and go 244 Thinking Outside the Limited Company 245 Building Your Virtual Team 247 Settling Into a Routine and Knowing What Works for You 248 Part V: Measuring Your Success 249 Chapter 18: Networking or Notworking? 251 Measuring your Return on Investment 251 Recognising and recording the value in every meeting 252 Finding the hidden value in networking 253 Adjusting Your Mindset to Spot the Benefits 254 Listening to your intuition 255 Keeping an open mind 256 Acknowledging that networking is always working 257 Chapter 19: Revisiting Your Approach 259 Using Networking as a Sounding Board 259 Nobody’s asking you for a one-to-one 260 Business is dribbling in 261 You’re getting one-to-ones but nobody’s buying 263 You view knock backs negatively 263 Using Your Networking Contacts to Advise You 264 Launching new products to your networking crowd 265 Trying new pitches 266 Tailoring your approach to your environment 267 Discovering the secret to turning around your networking experience 267 Keeping Faith with Networking 268 Part VI: The Part of Tens 271 Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Improve Your Networking Results 273 Do More Networking 273 Become Part of Your Group’s Team 274 Volunteer for the Ten-Minute Slot 274 Take an Honest Look at Your 40-Second Introduction 274 Attend Meetings of Other Networking Groups 275 Phone People 275 Run a Mini-Seminar after a Networking Event 275 Use Social Media 276 Make it Easy for People to Buy from You 276 Understand that Networking is Working 277 Chapter 21: Ten Networking Gaffes to Avoid 279 Talking Only About Yourself 279 Overrunning 280 Being Late 280 Whispering during Other People’s Introductions 280 Ridiculing or Disrespecting Your Competitors 281 Adding People to Your Mailing List without Permission 281 Judging a Book by Its Cover 282 Not Following Up 282 Treating Networking as a One-Off Sale 282 Forgetting to Smile 283 Index 285

About the Author :
Stefan Thomas is Network Director for 4Networking and a marketing and networking expert. He spends his days roving the 4N network and helping members get the best from 4Networking.