Do you remember your last face-to-face networking event? Are you still in contact with anyone you met there or did you forget to follow up?
Consider the value of your time and effort in getting to the event. You can spend anywhere from 3 hours at a local networking event or 3 days at a conference, right? Now, add up your rate for those hours. That’s quite an investment!
If you didn’t follow up on your last networking event, you might have let leads slip through your fingers. It’s time to rev up your networking mojo. If you want to become a masterful strategic networker, you have to be the one that makes it happen and that means taking a proactive approach.
The next time you attend a network event, get your networking mojo back by using these tips:
1. Be Strategic
Where do you need to be networking and who do you need to be cultivating relationships to move your business to the next level? The next networking conference may not be convenient but necessary to make the next-level relationships. It may involve doing some research on upcoming conferences and placing reminders in your calendar to attend.
2. Seize the Moment to Shine
When you’re asked by your network that common phrase, “If I can ever help you, please let me know” seize the moment! Have an idea on what you need, like:
• An introduction with a decision maker at a company where it would be mutually beneficial to collaborate
• A supplier to help you bring a product to market
• A panel speaker for an upcoming nonprofit event you’re planning
When they see that you have a specific answer, it shows that you are prepared to conduct business. It also instills confidence that you are a savvy business owner.
A strategic approach to networking creates long-lasting relationships. Over time, you’ll develop collaborations by design all because you were strategic in your approach and seized the moment. These partnerships will help you create a referral system that does the work for you helping you grow a profitable business.
P.S. Ready to scale and systematize your business? Join us for the Wake Up Profitable Boot Camp for Business Owners on October 4-5, 2018 at the Business Innovation Lab in Livonia, Michigan. Early registration ends on Friday, August 31, 2018.
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