Professional networking 10-step checklist

News Article: August 6, 2019 by Oaktree Accounting Business improvement

Networking can get your business noticed. It can lead to referrals, valuable business opportunities and increased sales. But it can be daunting to put yourself out there, and tricky to get right. Remember that professional networking is a social activity. It’s about building relationships – so leave the hard sell behind. Instead, be open and get to know people.

Here are 10 things you can do to get the most out of your networking experience:

  1. Aim to build relationships
  2. Don’t sell to people you meet, they’ll ask if they’re interested
  3. Do your homework beforehand, prepare a few sentences about what you do, what type of clients you’re looking for and the types of clients you can refer
  4. Show belief in your business and be positive. Being negative or low energy won’t have people wanting to build a relationship with you
  5. Listen and ask questions about how you can help, who is their ideal client, how are they different from competitors
  6. Speak to as many people as you can. Don’t talk to the same person for the whole event
  7. Give out your business card to people you connect with
  8. Follow up with people you can share clients with. Book a time to meet with them and discuss how you can help each other.
  9. Don’t be pushy, relationships take time. You might have to meet with someone several times before they trust you enough
  10. Look for opportunities to connect with people in complementary industries

If you feel jittery, it often helps to go with someone you already know! Take a wingman if it helps you feel more confident and you can listen out for referral opportunities for each other.

Ed & Tiia attend a business referral group on Friday mornings, if you’re interested in joining them for a coffee, give them a call (08) 9495 4700.