Emily Roberts
Like anything else in life, networking is a skill that can be a little tricky to master on first attempt. Oh sure, some people will take to the life of schmoozing like a duck to a vault full of money, but for the rest of us mere mortals practice must make perfect.
The main problem lies, however, with making networking seem natural and sincere. Most people who’ve been in the business…business will have probably become familiar to the usual networking techniques. While this won’t necessarily irritate or offend them, as everyone plays the networking game, it does mean that your attempts at building contacts may come across a little more obtuse than you may otherwise want.
The best networking is done when it feels natural, an extension of the conversation, and will mean you’re more likely to leave a good impression. You’re no longer just another face in a sea of faces, but someone recognisable and memorable. There’s actually a personality to hook onto.
So how do you do this?
The Art of Natural Conversation
It sucks, but you need to relearn the art of human conversation again and try to apply it to business, while at the same time remembering that even if you want to come across as a human being you’re still supposed to be expanding your address book. This balancing act is the real challenge that you’ll be facing, and tip too far in either direction and the whole operation collapses. Go one way and you’ll seem insincere, but should you go too far the opposite direction and you’ll not actually be networking. Just hanging out.
One effective means of trying to blend your networking more naturally into your socialising is pretty much universal to human interaction – try to find a common point of interest. It’s far easier to get a conversation flowing if you have something everyone can find engaging, and fortunately in the realm of business you have more to choose from than most.
In fact talking about your job within your company is a great way to break the ice and get the conversation moving. Otherwise, try to find some other way to get people talking. Be sure to have fun with this, the idea is that the time you spend with everyone is natural. That also means comfortable and enjoyable. Never feel as though you have to talk when you don’t want to.
Get Introductions Over Quickly
Many businesses have a culture relating to the exchanging of business cards or contact details. It’s as commonplace as the handshake, and the two are often blended. You may be tempted to make a big deal out of this, but it’s better to ensure it takes no more time than it needs to. Your contacts will probably keep your card and look at when they need to.
You can speed up and improve the process as well by using address book apps, such as those developed by Covve. These give you a useful little platform where you can quickly and painlessly add contact details for later. Most apps will even organise those details for you, allowing you to quickly get straight into the socialising.
Remember, Contacts are People Too
When networking, do remember to treat everyone as individuals. The idea is to build meaningful working relationships, not fill a quota.
Relax, let your guard down, and act like a human being. Share jokes, laugh, and be spontaneous. People you’re talking with will appreciate this more because it’s more authentic than a stifled, formal approach. That said, ensure it’s context appropriate. If the situation IS formal, then you should act formally. Use of common sense can take you very far.
Similarly make sure that you learn and memorise people’s details and quirks. Listen carefully to them in conversation and pay attention to things they mention about themselves. Things such as hobbies, birthdays, any family they have, or significant events. If you bring these up later in a relevant conversation, then this goes a long way to making you stand out in the minds of your contacts. It shows that you listen, and not only that but you care enough to remember those sorts of things as well.
At the same time, respect their space. If you’re pushy and overbearing your presence will just become irritating to them, and you shouldn’t be at all surprised if they purposefully “lose” your details after the meeting. Keep aware of social cues and learn to recognise when someone just isn’t interested.
This sort of thing can really separate you from the rest of the crowd.