No matter what line of work you are in, networking is important. Establishing meaningful connections with others can be the difference between you landing that job or dream client. But let’s be real sparking up conversations with strangers can be intimidating, especially when you believe that stranger is a vital piece in your growth. I recently sat down with Claire Ateku aka “The Serial Networker” to get her advice on the best ways to network.
Claire and I met at work but the friendship we’ve grown extends beyond our places of employment. And for her that’s the essence of successful networking– “organic bonds between individuals that have the potential to develop into mutually beneficial exchanges”. Keep reading to learn her top strategies for networking like a boss!
Before the Event
Confidence is Key
According to Claire, its very important to that you practice exuding confidence before you ever get in front of a potential connection. People feed off energy and if you appear unsure of yourself, they are less likely to take you seriously. Practice your elevator pitch for your business/brand until you can do it confidently.
Be Prepared
“Be okay with being a creep!” That’s Claire’s advice when preparing to attend a networking event or social gathering. If invited to either, Claire takes a moment to think about the types of people who may be at the event. While you may not have access to exactly who will be attending, you generally can guess whether the attendees will be mainly creatives, entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, etc. Set your intentions on what you want to get out of a conversation with each kind of person.
At the Event:
So you’ve made it to the networking mixer. Now what? There’s a ton of people in this room and you are only one person. First, take a deep breath. Remember you want to present as calm and confident at all times.
Now that your heart rate is back at a reasonable pace, prepare to work the room. Claire recommends doing so in 3 steps.
- Scope the Scene-Walk the room taking a mental note of who’s in attendance and who looks interesting enough to spark up a conversation. Identify the key players.
- Let the Plotting Begin-Make conversation with people you know to get more comfortable with your surroundings. As you do, organically broaden the conversation to include 1-2 people standing close to you. These light, low stakes convos help build your comfort level and give you a chance to test run your elevator pitch.
- Plan Your Approach– Now that you are feeling relaxed, prepare to speak to at least 1 one of the power players (every networking event has them). Read the person’s energy and spark up a conversation. Be genuine! Listen to what they have to say.
After the Connect:
Follow Up!
By now we shouldn’t have to tell you how important follow up is to networking but in case we do, here it is. Claire stresses that the timeliness of your follow up varies on the intention. ” If you are trying to land a job, follow up the next day. If this is just a connection, then at least within a week.” Go further than just saying it was nice to meet you. “Networking is most profitable when you make it seem like its about the other person. Be a resource.”
Finally Claire’s biggest networking faux pas: “Don’t ask people what they do! It makes you look opportunistic. That will come up organically in conversation. Three questions to ask instead: how did you hear about this event, what brought you here, what do you like to do outside of work?”
What are your thoughts? What are some networking tips you swear by?
