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Most of us are trained at a young age not to talk to strangers.
That’s okay for most people, but as an entrepreneur it just won’t work.
Many of us need to network in order to build our businesses. Even those of us who really don’t want to.
As someone who really thrives in social situations where I don’t know anyone, I thought it might be nice to drop a few tips to…
Master the Networking Scene:
1. People love to talk about themselves. Ask questions that are more about the person and less about business and you’ll find it easier to keep the conversation alive.
2. Lead with Acknowledgement.As technology has taken over our lives and we’ve moved out of tribal communities the average human desperately wants to be seen. Find a way to cut through the crap to acknowledge their vibe or their confidence or their clothes if you can’t come up with anything else and you’ll see how easy it is to build a connection.
3. That brings us to Connection. People are WAY more likely to do business with you, or refer you to their friends, if they know, like and trust you. Go into a networking event with the intention of making at least one new friend and see how that transforms your business. Rather than hustling your free consultation, ask someone to lunch and see how you can both support each other.
4. Lose the title. If you say you’re a business coach or a photographer or an interior designer, for the most part, people who aren’t already actively looking for that service aren’t going to lean in. You’ll get that dreaded phrase, “That’s interesting,” and then see them looking for a way out of the conversation. If, instead, you mention who you serve specifically, and what problem you help them solve, suddenly someone who doesn’t ‘need’ a business coach is seeing themselves in your story and wondering if you can help them too. I call this the “Niche Pitch” and it’s an art worth mastering. Far more compelling than the typical elevator speech.
5. Stay in Curiosity. Understand that there is good potential for you to have a connection with every person you chat with and dig into their story. What lights them up? What scares them? What are they enjoying about their profession? What’s their biggest celebration from the past year? Past month? What are their biggest challenges in life right now?
These tips are useful for any kind of connection. Even if you’re not in the networking scene, try some of these out next time you want to strike up a conversation with a stranger or get to know someone a little better.
Try them with your partner or colleagues. Try them with Siri or your parakeet.
These tactics are a great way to build connection wherever, whenever, with whomever.
