Advice for attending first networking event?

[will1872]

I'm attending my first Chamber or Commerce networking event in a few weeks time, this is new to me and I've only been trading for 4 months now.

Anyone with experience at attending events advise how you present yourself to potential clients, or should I say other attendees?

I provide IT services and am considering offering some free consultancy for other Chamber members, is this selling myself short? or should I just concentrate on getting my company name out there and meeting other businessness men / women?

Thanks

William

 

[SusanP]

In my experience different groups have different formats. I've been to networking groups where everyone sits around a table and has 2 minutes to present their business, and to other more informal events where it's up to the attendees to be sociable and proactive.

Don't offer free services to others at your first meeting, or do any sort of advertising. You will need to build up a relationship.

My advice is to prepare a one to two minute introduction, which you can use whether addressing a group or just one person. Eg:
I'm William from XYZ IT Services. We offer IT services (you can be a bit more specific here) to small companies, particularly those in the engineering sector (or whatever your speciality is). XYZ is a young company but I have worked for the past twenty years for the large IT companies Bloggs, Joe Soap etc, where I serviced the IT needs of Shell, BP ..... (or whoever -- preferably well-known names locally).

Chances are your company details and website address will be on the list of attendees but if not, you can draw attention to it and say something like 'we regularly have special offers/ hold training sessions (or whatever) so do have a look at our site'.

Before the meeting I suggest you practise your 2-minute spiel (out loud, and even better, in front of a mirror) until you feel comfortable saying it. NB don't learn it off by heart. Try it out on friends and family and get them to think up questions that someone who doesn't know you might ask.

 

[will1872]

In my experience different groups have different formats. I've been to networking groups where everyone sits around a table and has 2 minutes to present their business, and to other more informal events where it's up to the attendees to be sociable and proactive.

Don't offer free services to others at your first meeting, or do any sort of advertising. You will need to build up a relationship.

My advice is to prepare a one to two minute introduction, which you can use whether addressing a group or just one person. Eg:
I'm William from XYZ IT Services. We offer IT services (you can be a bit more specific here) to small companies, particularly those in the engineering sector (or whatever your speciality is). XYZ is a young company but I have worked for the past twenty years for the large IT companies Bloggs, Joe Soap etc, where I serviced the IT needs of Shell, BP ..... (or whoever -- preferably well-known names locally).

Chances are your company details and website address will be on the list of attendees but if not, you can draw attention to it and say something like 'we regularly have special offers/ hold training sessions (or whatever) so do have a look at our site'.

Before the meeting I suggest you practise your 2-minute spiel (out loud, and even better, in front of a mirror) until you feel comfortable saying it. NB don't learn it off by heart. Try it out on friends and family and get them to think up questions that someone who doesn't know you might ask.

Thanks Susan, appreciate that. I'll make sure I practice before the event, this one will be switching tables between courses over lunch and specific to networking.

 

Chamber events tend to be freeform mingling, though - as pointed out above, it is definitely worth having your 'elevator pitch' prepared for one-to-one or presentation purposes.

Some rules are:

- Take an interest in the other part (ies) - ask them about themselves first
- Tell, don't sell.
- Take their card.
- Follow up.

You will make some good contacts but the reality is they will probably forget who you are. The event is a warm introduction, the sale will come from follow-up.

 

All good advice. Some ask new people to introduce themselves at the beginning so launching your spiel to a cold session can be daunting if you are not prepared.
You could have a short single side, sinlgle colour A5 hand out as well as a card.
A sample of your existing sites and your specialties should be enough.

 

[UK Solicitors]

The advice above is all good stuff.

I'd add that you'll find yourself (as with everybody else) struggling to remember who all the nice people you just met were (unless your memory is photographic).

So I'd say try to describe what you do in a slightly off-beat way, so you "interrupt" the "blah, blah" in people's heads a wee bit and they maybe actually remember you.

It is a bit cheesy, but for example out of hundreds of BNI networking meetings the only 60 second presenter I remember now was a guy called Roy who did leasing for cars for a company called Oyster. What made him memorable was that he always finished with "so if you need car leasing, remember Royster from Oyster!"

I'm not feeling very inspired this morning or I'd try to think of something a designer like yourself might say... I once heard a life insurance guy say "We sell life after death" which I thought was good...

Anyway - good luck with it. Remember pretty much eveyone else is feeling uncomfortable too, and a smile goes a long way!

 

[UK Solicitors]

Ooops! You're not a designer Will!! (I was looking at the last post before mine - and as I said the old head's a bit wooly right now before the gallon of coffee!)

Anyway, if you're in IT obviously you'll not be talking about design (unless you really want to do a Jedi-mind-trick number on thier heads)!

Incidentally, since I am back here waffling, here's another tip - if you haven't read "Influence" by Robert Cialdini do yourself a real favour and go to Amazon, order it pronto and read it over the weekend and I promise you'll feel better equipped to go to your meeting!

 

[will1872]

Ooops! You're not a designer Will!! (I was looking at the last post before mine - and as I said the old head's a bit wooly right now before the gallon of coffee!)

Anyway, if you're in IT obviously you'll not be talking about design (unless you really want to do a Jedi-mind-trick number on thier heads)!

Incidentally, since I am back here waffling, here's another tip - if you haven't read "Influence" by Robert Cialdini do yourself a real favour and go to Amazon, order it pronto and read it over the weekend and I promise you'll feel better equipped to go to your meeting!

Thanks for the book advice I'll get that ordered up, and lol at "so if you need car leasing, remember Royster from Oyster!"

 

[Sharpy]

A lot has been covered already, however my 5p:

- Prepare TWO short introductions. This is my personal preference as I get tired of saying the same thing for an hour, so I like to vary it a little.

- Don't sell. Most people I speak to find it annoying when people try and sell for their whole two minutes. People are there to network.

- Don't be shy. It's cringeworthy but just throw yourself into conversations and ask plenty of questions to get people talking.

- Not been patronising, but common etiquette is to take a card and study it for a few moments, dont slam it straight in your pocket or bag. I like to try and compliment their card, title or business name in some way.

- Already been mentioned, but it's all about the follow up! Don't be embarrased to go through your newly acquired cards and email the people you've met, even if you may never do business with them there is always a chance of a referral. I try and send a short email stating that it was a pleasure to meet them and that I found X interesting about their business and reiterate who I am and what I do. It's surprising how many people don't bother doing this, and even if you may feel like youre desperate following everything up, you're not. Afterall it's about networking, not meeting someone once then not doing anything about it right?

Good luck

 

[UK Solicitors]

We aims to please,Will!

Good luck with the meeting - the first one is the worst!

 

[SusanP]

I can second UK Solicitors' book recommendation. Cialdini's Influence is excellent and a real eye-opener.

 

[will1872]

I can second UK Solicitors' book recommendation. Cialdini's Influence is excellent and a real eye-opener.

There's 3 titles can someone let me know which one?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...eld-keywords=Influence+Robert+Cialdin&x=0&y=0

 

[UK Solicitors]

Hi Will

It's the first one - a snip at under £6!! The best £6 you'll ever spend!

 

[SusanP]

They're more or less the same book except that Science and Practice is the more academic version with classroom discussion questions and more scientific evidence included. I have the Science and Practice version, Third Edition and this is what the preface says:
"The initial (trade) version of Influence was designed for the popular reader and, as such, an attempt was made to write it in an engaging style. In the classroom version, that style is retained but, in addition, I present the research evidence for my statements, recommendations and conclusions".

 

[will1872]

Hi Will

It's the first one - a snip at under £6!! The best £6 you'll ever spend!

Thanks appreciated This is an area I need help with so looking forward to reading it

 

[UK Solicitors]

You're most welcome Will.

I'm sure you'll love this. I don't mean to go on but it is sparked off so many ideas for me that I have dozens of pages of them... and it is just so engaging and true.... You'll see what I mean!

 

[will1872]

You're most welcome Will.

I'm sure you'll love this. I don't mean to go on but it is sparked off so many ideas for me that I have dozens of pages of them... and it is just so engaging and true.... You'll see what I mean!

Thanks, although I'm very technically capable, cold calling and business networking is new to me, I've a Sales manager friend helping with the cold calling and I now can't wait to read this book, looking forward to it, and it's now ordered should get it next week

In time for the Networking event

 

[icomplete]

Another great book to help with business networking and communication is The Jelly Effect - How to make your communication Stick by Andy Bound - Good luck with your first networking event

Thanks, although I'm very technically capable, cold calling and business networking is new to me, I've a Sales manager friend helping with the cold calling and I now can't wait to read this book, looking forward to it, and it's now ordered should get it next week

In time for the Networking event

 

[UK Solicitors]

Groovy! Let us know how you get on - and good luck!

 

[Geoff T]

Groovy! Let us know how you get on - and good luck!

"Groovy"??? Is that word in the lawyer handbook now?!? Whatever next!

OP - I agree with all the previous, with some practical tips...

After you've worked out how you're going to be different at the event (worked out your spiel, practised your smile, given your memory and eardrums a work-out so they work properly, etc, etc)... I'd suggest one last thing...

Just before you walk in to the event, find a glass or mirror to look in (maybe duck into the loos before going in), look at yourself - and remember who you are, what you are good at, and why you are there...

Deep breaths help me too -

• Be yourself (natural networker or not) - natural (good or bad) is better, and more memorable, than fake...
• Take notes (you'd be REALLY unlucky, or in a small group, to not meet anyone worth a follow up with), so note down who you want to follow up with... then do it...
• Have fun (find something to enjoy, even if it's just a laugh in the end) so you get something out of it, and people will see you in a positive light, rather than a stressed out "don't like this" scenario
• Remember work - this is business, so go with the aim of meeting one person who could help your business, and make sure you leave with that contact
• remember you - if you're good enough to be in that room, you're good enough, period...retain that confidence in you, your firm, what you do - so no freebies as it sells you short!

Sorry - long enough to be a blog!:redface:

HTH - some if not all