What to take to your next business networking meeting

Networking, love it or hate it, it?s a great way to get your and your business known. Being prepared for your next networking event can make it a whole lot less painful. Like I mentioned in the article about online networking, knowing your purpose will help you stay on track during the meeting. You can also create business networking toolkit, so that you have everything you need to present yourself to potential business partners.

Business flyer or leaflet

A flyer that includes what you and your business are about in 1 ? 2 sentences along with your contact information can be an asset during large networking events. My leaflet has tips on it, and people often ask for a handful to share them. Staple a business card to the flyer if you want. If you do, be prepared to be added to every single email list in the room.?See this article on permission marketing.

Remember to concentrate more on the people with whom you can truly develop a relationship. They may not be the potential client that you desire. They may be people you get on well with, they may be people in the same or complementary industries, they may be people who truly get your business.

Is your website or blog mobile ready? If it is, make sure you add a QR code to your flyer. Assuming that the recipient is tech savvy and has a smartphone, they can quickly add your details. The Bump app has feature that means you can easily exchange contact details via LinkedIn. It also makes it easier to send a quick thank you or set up a meeting after a gathering.

Question and Answer Sheet

Having a question and answer sheet prepared before you attend an event will help you stay focused on your purpose which is of course to gain quality contacts. You want contacts that can help your business move forward. At the same time you want to find ways in which you can refer to people effectively that will benefit them.

Some sample questions might be:

? What type of customer are you looking for?

? What do you want or need from me?

? How can I help you move forward?

Preparing your answers to these questions ahead of time will put you ahead of most business people.

Testimonials and Success Stories

Now, us Brits are great at hiding our lights under a bushell. Yep, modesty is an artform with us. So having a copy client success stories who have used your service or product is one way of sharing our success without actually having brag about what we can do. Case studies and testimonials add authenticity to what your business does, it?s useful to have them and use them. Some people think they are good to hand around after doing a 60 second pitch, a resource that makes you memorable.

Current Business Issues

Staying current on your industry is a must. When attending a networking function having a small list of what?s hot in your niche can be useful for conversation starters /connectors. Knowing how a certain trend is affecting others can be valuable. It can help you improve your own business and help them with theirs.

Business Cards

It might not need mentioning but remember to bring your business cards. You would be surprised how many businesspeople conveniently forget this vital piece of kit. How professional does it look not to have a card when asked? But before you even get to your networking event, you need to take a look at your current business card and check that it?s fit for business.

Can people look at it and know who you are? And more importantly, how to get hold of you? Business card information tends to go two ways? the first way is that it contains every single piece of data about your online activities from your website to your several hundred social channels. The second way is the other end of the spectrum, the card contains to little information for you to remember the person.

Get a balance, decide how you would like people to contact you and share those details on your card.
Remember there is still a school of thought that says a mobile number looks less professional than a landline, that sexyminx1979 [at] hotmail [dot] com doesn?t give the right impression and that cards that glow in the dark are merely for those rather charming ladies and gentlemen that earn their living in a more salubrious manner.

When you have all your ?kit? in place, put it in a safe place.

Mine?s in the boot of the car so I don?t forget.

Remember, that a contact made is not really useful until you follow-up. Yep, you have to reach out and get to know them that bit more. After the event, take time to sent thank-you notes either via snail mail or email. Do not add these people to your newsletter without their permission.

After the networking event, enter your contacts into your CRM system if you have one, and a spreadsheet if you don?t. Then when you need to make a referral the details are to hand for you. Once quick call to confirm the contact does what is required and then you can make an introduction.

Happy Networking

Kim and Clare

PS if you need help entering the details to your database and making / writing follow up emails, give us a call and we can have a chat about how our office support can help.

Source: http://www.essexofficesupport.co.uk/what-to-take-to-your-next-business-networking-meeting/

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