3 Connection Mistakes Most People Make!

Below are 3 of the biggest connection mistakes we see people make in networking. Perhaps you are making one (or all) of these mistakes right now!

Connection Mistake #1 – Thinking you are “too busy to network”

One of the biggest mistakes we often hear people say is “I am too busy to network”. I would like to challenge you that you are too busy NOT to network. After all, by doing so you can capitalise on leverage and collaboration instead of marketing yourself and you can get to the point of choosing who you want to do business with rather than getting any business through desperation.

Connection Mistake # 2 – Most People Don’t Have a Great Value Offer

What do you think would happen if at your next event you got up and said, I have a contact for Bob, Michael, Michelle and Jane? Do you think it would only be those 4 that would be impressed with you or do you think it might be the whole room!

A major component in being perceived as having real value to offer is being genuinely interested in other people. Find out what people you want to connect are looking for. Talk to them about their goals and if you can help them achieve them in some small way you are building solid foundations by giving first. Reciprocity is where people have an unconscious desire to want to help those who help them.

Connection Mistake #3 – Thinking You Can Do It All On Your Own

One of the biggest connection mistakes we see some business people make is they think they have to find people they need on their own. The whole point of networking and connecting is leverage, yet many people try to do everything on their own. They either feel uncomfortable using their connections or they have not built enough rapport to ask for the favor.

How Many Opportunities Have You Missed?

In my years of networking I have seen and continue to see many business owners and professionals miss opportunities simply because they are too focused on generating clients for their business. Still many businesses come to networking events with the objective to recruit clients. My challenge to you today is to expand your horizons and come to networking events in search of opportunities - you may be surprised at the results.

Opportunities can come in a variety of forms; an alliance, joint venture or host beneficiary, a speaking opening, job advancement, contracting opportunities expanding into new markets, or even the opportunity to collaborate with other like minded professionals to offer a full range of services to your clients or perhaps a new one combined with another business.

Simply by opening your mind and looking at adding value to others as well as your own business, you can often fast track your business and career success.

Like any investment it’s important not to be so emotionally attached to your business that you aren’t on the lookout for other opportunities. Being entrepreneurial in your thinking means you can see beyond the present and look into the future.

Steven Covey in his book the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People says we need to start with the end in mind. If you know why you are in business and what your eventual outcome is, you will tend to view business in a different manner which sets you up for opportunities you may have never imagined in the first place when you started your business. Being flexible and adaptable is a great advantage in a market that continues to change.

Follow Up

One of the main areas I see people trip up in business is with their follow up, yet it is a simple concept of good manners and service delivery. I have lost count of the times people have expressed a major frustration they have with other business people when they tell us they have left a message or an email with someone and they haven’t had their call or email returned.

Often when asked “what is your point of difference that separates you from your competitors?” people tell me “it’s my service delivery”! However, how often does that service delivery extend to following up?

This is a major concern if you want to portray a positive image of your business and there are no processes in place to make sure every call and email is returned. In most cases, business owners spend thousands of dollars on branding and marketing yet a simple act of follow up can undo all that good work and money.

In a situation like ours where referrals and recommendations are a large part of what we do, this is an area we take a lot of care in. In fact we suggest our members take advantage of this 3rd party referral system. When I hear of instances where someone has contacted another business person and there has been no response this it’s a matter of concern particularly if it was someone I have personally referred. This is what most people express to us too.

When someone does not follow up they are not only letting themselves down, they are also letting the person who referred them and the person wanting to connect with them. Because referrals and word of mouth marketing is so powerful, following up needs to have a lot of emphasis placed on it.

Personally, I liken follow up with simple good manners. Firstly it shows others that you are serious about giving a positive perception, and it exudes trust and reliability. This is fundamental in relationship marketing. In many cases you may never know the reason behind the call or email and if this could lead to an opportunity or prospective business you certainly don’t want to miss out.

On the flip side, if you are the person making the contact, and you haven’t heard from the person you want to connect within a reasonable time frame, I would not dismiss them right away. You never know what may be impacting in their lives, whether they are so snowed under and need to meet a particular deadline or they genuinely need to address other urgent work.

My rule of thumb is to give a second chance and try again in a day or so. I do however let the person who has referred them to me know so they are aware that I have indeed followed up. If there has been a consistent pattern of ignoring my email or phone call, it’s at that point I will no longer refer them or will continue to follow them up, it’s too risky. It’s at that point their competitor gets the business.

In saying this, if you have been contacted and you are swamped with work, I would suggest a simple act of courteousy by sending a short email, thanking them and acknowledging that you have received their call or email and have not forgotten them, explain you have to get through some rather urgent or pressing work and will attend to you at the first opportunity and follow them up further. I would also suggest a time frame as well, whether later that day, in 2 days or by the end of the week so they know you are serious about good service. An important point is here to make sure whatever you say, you do.

Don’t say you will get back to them tomorrow if you know you can’t, set up a reminder to alert you to getting back to them. Don’t damage your credibility with someone as a good name is one to keep. Remember following up tells more about your service then your marketing message!

What You Know, Who You Know or Who Knows You?

You may have heard the sayings “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and “It’s not who you know it’s who knows you”. Network in enough circles and you are bound to hear this said – you may have even quoted it yourself. However, we have a different view.

You see it is the combination of what you know, who you know and who knows you that leads to successful and profitable networking, connections and business relationships. Without each of these three elements you will not be connecting at an optimal level.

It is about ‘What You Know’...

If you do not know your industry well, if you are not confident in your product or service and you do not know how to connect effectively with people, I guarantee you will not get very far with your networking or far in business for that matter.

In order to connect with influential people, generate referrals and have profitable relationships you need to establish your expertise and credibility so people are confident you can deliver. Ask yourself would you do business with or refer your clients to someone who has little knowledge of their industry and no confidence in their ability?

It is about ‘Who You Know’...

The whole point of networking and connecting is leverage, yet many people try to do everything on their own. You need to know the right people to call on, whether it is to ask for a favour, a referral or advice. Unfortunately we have found that most people either feel uncomfortable using their connections or they have not built enough rapport to ask for assistance.

Remember it is the people you know and the key connections you make that can lead to a continual stream of business. Build in time to maintain your current business relationships as well as form new ones.

It is about ‘Who Knows You’...

It is important to be known in the business community, high visibility and credibility can massively grow your business. When you are well known you are more exposed to business opportunities, high calibre people want to connect with you, you can charge more and you get to choose who you do business with.

A word of caution though, we see many people spend all their time in trying to be well known, they are ‘serial networkers’ that get so caught up in meeting people that they forget to follow up and establish relationships with the people they have already met.

So the next time you are making connections, remember to focus on all three of these areas. By doing so your networking will be more effective and you will have more profitable outcomes.

Do not be deceived to focus on only one of these areas combine the three and watch how much richer your networking will become.

Leaving a Lasting Impression

Have you ever collected business cards at a networking event, only to find that when you go to follow up the next day you can’t remember who many of them were? Or you had an enjoyable conversation with someone but you just can’t remember the name of their business?

Here is a scarier question. How many times have you been the person someone has forgotten? How many business opportunities have you lost because you have blended into the crowd?

Your networking needs to go beyond handing out your business cards, it needs to be about making a lasting impression and building rapport so a relationship can be built over time.

Here are 5 ways to ensure you leave a lasting impression at every event you go to.

1. Be Engaging
When talking to people be present, maintain eye contact, show an interest, ask relevant and thought-provoking questions, listen attentively and respond quickly. Always ask about their business and what they do, listen for points you have in common this will help with rapport building and will help them to remember you. Don’t talk about yourself until they ask what you do (and they naturally will) then you will have their attention.

2. Look to Add Value
When you are speaking to people be thinking of how you can help them or add value to them. Is there someone at the event you could introduce them to? Do you know anyone who could help solve a challenge they have? Do you know the person they want to connect with? Could you suggest a good alliance for them?

3. Be Unique
Stand out through your appearance, be impeccably groomed, wear bright colors, an interesting tie, distinctive jewelry, a nice perfume or cologne. You do not have to be too out there, you just don’t want to blend in. Gentlemen, take the time to shave. You can’t imagine how quickly you can warm people to you or push them away.

4. Openly Participate at Events
A lot of networking events give you the opportunity to participate in discussion ask questions and give input. Use this opportunity to showcase your knowledge. It is not advisable to monopolise the conversation or say something just for the sake of saying it. You want to share an intelligent point, ask a good question, use a relevant analogy as this will show your professionalism and expertise and can show a practical application of what you provide. Raising a good point and sparking more in depth discussion can be a fantastic way for people to remember you.

5. Use Memory Joggers for Key Information
People aren't going to remember long descriptions of what you do, or likely even your infomercial. People will at best remember a few key things about you; your name, business name, industry and perhaps your specialty and location. To assist people in remembering these points use them in conversation as much as possible. For example there is a story behind the name ConnectWorking, perhaps there is with your business name or logo, a stand out client testimonial. Use anything that can reinforce your details to people.

How Changing Your Networking Approach Could Bring You More Business

Imagine a room full of business people. All have a similar goal in mind which is to have business eventuate from their networking activity. Unfortunately many people think the way to do this is to sell to those present at the event.

If this is your view on networking then ask yourself when was the last time you went to a networking event to ‘buy’ a product or service? After all if everyone in the room is looking to sell their product or service who becomes the client?

This is one of the greatest connection mistakes we see. Healthy networking implies an equal or necessary sharing of information and consideration among one another. It is a smart idea to ask if the person with whom you are speaking to discuss themselves and what they have to contribute.

This not only shows genuine concern and forms a more balanced conversation that can become the foundation for a relationship; it paves the way for ideas and opportunities to manifest. Too often people approach others with what they themselves can get.

The most successful networkers I have met have been both entrepreneurial and collaborative because they are looking for opportunity and they have a win/win mindset.

They are prepared to look further than what they are currently doing; they look for others to work with by adding another service, or a special package. They are generally big picture thinkers. They are also more likely to be true business owners where they are not so emotionally attached to their idea or business that they can’t see past their nose.

When you next network look to see how you can add value to others and give first before you ask for a favour. You will see your results multiply!

If you want to find out more about collaborative networking contact us via www.connectworking.com.au

How to Identify People You Do and Don't Want to do Business With

Without knowing why at a conscious level, we can at times be immediately put off by someone and on the other hand we can instantly warm to another. Why does this happen? Well usually it is at an unconscious level and that is because we are constantly sending and receiving information from people and our environment all the time.

One of the biggest “impacters” of whether we are put off or warm to someone is what body language we exhibit. Let’s look at the main signals we give off that can make people like us or not want much to do with us.

1. Eye contact
It’s important when you are talking to someone that you maintain good eye contact. There are times when you move your eyes away we sometimes do that so we aren’t seen at “staring”. For the most part, let the person know you are interested and not looking around you at who else you want to talk to.

2. Open body language
If you are aware that your body language is open to towards another they will know you are interested in them. Being aware of what your body is doing when you are talking to someone will take you a long way.

3. Facial expressions
Be aware of how you are responding to what someone says. If you are yawning, frowning, grinning when someone is telling you something this can have a huge impact on the other person. Women have far more facial expressions then men and gentlemen its worth knowing this when you are talking to women. We are looking for a positive response from the one we are talking to.

4. How they hold themselves
Is someone looking and acting confident or do they seem a little uneasy. Often our body language is a dead giveaway and is not consistent with our words if there is a conflict.

5. Personal presentation
Most people forget that people will often judge someone by how they dress and present themselves. If you want someone to take you seriously then you have to look the part. I have found the more money someone is likely to spend with you the more professional you need to look. This extends to everything about your business. Your cards, stationary, website, branding, your processes, level of expertise, articulation of what we do etc.

If you are at the receiving end of someone not giving you eye contact, showing they are not interested in you, you will be less likely to do business with them.

It would be helpful to regularly do a stocktake on every aspect of what people perceive about us. It’s also helpful to ask others how they see you and what they find frustrating about your industry. This will give you some incredible insight you can work with. Be prepared some will give you great feedback others will take it as an opportunity to criticise, so pick those you know and trust will be honest and helpful.