The Art of EffectNet©

AS A PROFESSIONAL, YOU'RE EITHER NETWORKING OR NOT WORKING!

NETWORKING may probably be defined as “The Connectivity that is formed through Relationship-Building between 2 or more persons with a view to attaining what they want or need”.  The Need or Want can be in the form of financial gain, friendship, love or simply a sense of appreciation or satisfaction received through the process of connecting.

Networking should best be described as a natural “ART-FORM” which is within each and everyone one of us since the day we were born!  Think about it … even as a newborn baby who needs to be fed, we signal our intentions to whom we perceive as our mum or anyone nearby by way of a cry to urge a favorable response, & a bon d(network) is created out of this intention.

Networking is a wonderful tool.  EffectNet© is an essential tool in Professional & Social fronts. It is the Art of Efficient & Effective Professional Networking that brings out the best in you, so that you can excel in career & life!

PROVEN FUNDAMENTALS TO NETWORKING & CREATING LASTING BONDS

“The Rules Of The Game” in networking will probably vary a little from person to person and situation to situation. However, there are certain fundamentals to this skill.

1. PERSONALITY –Be Presentable. Image Is Everything! First Impressions make all the differences. Dress appropriate for occasions & your profession, especially for business networking sessions. Your disposition should speak volumes about you, positively, before you speak. Build on your character to be Self-Confident, Friendly, Natural & Approachable. Learn to speak clearly & audibly, and most importantly, to SMILE from within, always!

2. INTENTION- Clearly Understand what you’re looking for. especially if you do more than one business. Internalise your purpose for the meeting/networking sessions, e.g. Are you networking to make new friends/ business contacts/looking for business opportunities, or customers for your product/ service? If necessary, write down the points to truly understand your intention for going for the networking event. This process will send out feelers to attract the right kind of people to you –The Laws of Attraction!

3. PREPARATION – Go prepared. Find out a little more about the group of people that will be coming, cultural/professional background, number of people, dress code, etc. This will prevent “out of place” embarrassments & cultural offenses from being committed. Cleary plan out what you have to offer to this group of people, , e.g. your product/ service/ your skills, etc. tailor-make your offer, if necessary. Bring sufficient number of Name Cards, Pen, a notebook & a clear mind. Its also good to have your brochures / information material on hand, in case someone wants to know more about what you have to offer.

4. INTRODUCTION – Give a short & crisp introduction (less than 30seconds) of yourself, when you meet someone new. Mention your Name, what you do, & why you’re at the event. Add a punch line about your special talent / skill to leave a lasting impression. Rehearse the intro before hand, so that you come out natural & confident in what you say! Do not spend more than 5 minutes with one person, as the intention of networking sessions is to meet as many people as possible. But remember that quality networking is more important that quantity. So use your intuition to gauge the situation & balance the two conditions to get the most out of the event.
 

5. GIVE TO RECEIVE – “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”. The “verbal diarrhea” syndrome is a no-no during networking sessions. When you blabber on about what you do, it puts people off. Always make conversation… don’t just TALK! It is important to be seen as someone who wants to truly benefit others and not a salesperson out to get a quick sale!  Listen To What Others Have To Offer & how you can help them, before Making Your Offer Known!  Successful relationships are born out of networking events only if you’re sincere to give & willing to receive. Not everyone you meet is your customer, BUT they could be a referral to your next Million-dollar deal. So treat everyone with that dignity. Always Think Collaboration, & how you can work with them, even if they sound like your competitors. Finally, DON’T SELL anything! Make People Buy Your Ideas & What You Have To Offer.

6. CONTINUITY – Follow-up & follow through. When you’ve identified your right contacts during networking sessions, send them a thank you / “Great Meeting You” note after the meeting. Arrange for a friendly discussion / meet-up to further understand them. By now, you would have recognized their potential to be in your resource, support or referral networks, accordingly. A business proposition may begin at this junction. Finally, follow-through with your commitments to them. Nurture the relationship with love & care by sending birthday greetings, friendly calls, get-well soon messages, etc. And Viola! A lasting successful bonding is already in the making!

The way you network with a person can either make a relationship bloom or make them run away from you! Before anyone buys your idea, they have to buy YOU! The above fundamentals to networking will enhance your belief in yourself & what you have to offer. It will be the key to exude trust in the people you meet so that long lasting & mutually benefiting relationships can be established.
 

Article by Dr. Ramesh Nambiar PhD. (Hon.) & Ms Azeeza Jalaludeen PPT., with more than 30 collective years of experience in creating Global Networks for business & social reasons. They conduct EffectNet© Workshops & the SHINE ADA Certified Proficient Networker Program to enhance professional, business & social networking skills.

EFFECTNET© - AN INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
DATE: 26th August 2008
TIME: 1930 - 2130hrs.

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