Right Questions

Master Networkers Ask the Right Questionsstring(41) "Master Networkers Ask the Right Questions"

July 19, 2020
, Networking

People like to talk about themselves. Furthermore, people refer business to people they like. Therefore when networking, remember the quote from the Greek philosopher, Epictetus (c. 50 – 135 AD). “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”. When networking, give yourself the time to truly listen to others when they are explaining what their business is all about. Everyone has a story, so find out what their story is.  By listening to them explain their story with genuine interest, you are making a real connection with them. With this initial introduction, you are building an atmosphere of trust and rapport right from the start. All it takes is asking the right questions when you are networking with someone for the first time.

Here are the five right questions to ask when networking that will keep the conversation rolling, set you apart from other networkers, and eventually lead to referrals:

1) What do you like best about what you do?

“What do you do?” is one of the first questions most people ask when networking. Therefore, when somebody begins their networking with the statement about “what they do” with me, I usually follow-up with, “That is interesting. What do you like best about what you do?” This leads to a deeper understanding while you learn about their business as the conversation flows naturally to the next question.

2) You mentioned that you were in [industry]. What got you started in that field?

This question allows them to talk about their personal history and goals. Furthermore, you learn what sparked their career interest and led them to where they are today. It also provides insight into their dedication to their profession and how proficient they are at it. Finally, as the relationship builds over time, you begin to see ways that you might be able to provide referrals to them for their products or services from people you know. However, you need to understand how and when they network their business.

3) Where else do you usually network?

I determined years ago through personal research that people who say they are successful with networking spend on average 6.3 hours per week networking with others. Furthermore, the people who say that networking doesn’t work for them reported spending on average less than two hours per week networking. So the people who are out there and they’re successful at this, they’re networking in other places, so asking this question is a great way to find out good places to network (in addition to OR along with BNI). Therefore, this question is a great way to learn about other networking events in your area that you may be missing. Finally, this question is a great opportunity to refer them to visit a local BNI chapter meeting (online or in-person) near them or to other networking groups that you are in. Now that you are building rapport with them, it is time to learn about some of the current problems they are experiencing in their business.

4) What are some of your biggest challenges?

This question strengthens the rapport you have with them. It is an opportunity to give them a referral when they share with you their current challenges. You can say, “Hey, I know somebody who might be able to help you with that”. Please remember that this is NOT an opportunity to sell to them. Do not attempt to close a personal deal before the two of you have established your credibility between each other. At this stage, it is only an opportunity to find ways to help them.

5) How can I help you?

Only ask this question if the conversation has gone well so far and you believe that this person is someone you would like to have in your business network too. If not, do not ask this question. However, being helpful is the best way to start building a solid relationship. This final question demonstrates that you have the other person’s interests in your mind and that you are willing to help them to grow their business. Therefore, it is an excellent way to build the credibility necessary for a valuable networking partnership.

Asking the right questions is really about earning trust and gaining rapport with a new contact and doing it as quickly as you can. Therefore, asking these five questions when networking can help you become a farmer and sow the seedlings for building strong relationships over time with others. If you need additional questions to ask, here are ten great questions to ask someone while networking. Furthermore, these would be great questions to pose during your next one-to-one meeting. Finally, I would suggest that you take the time to know your own personal answers to these questions. They are likely to be asked of you in return.

networking

So why go to a networking meeting?string(34) "So why go to a networking meeting?"

November 25, 2019
How Can I Help You?, Networking, Networking Tactics, Relationships 2

You go because networking is more about farming than it is about hunting. Sometimes you go to increase your visibility and to connect with people you have never met. Sometimes you go to establish further credibility with people you know. And sometimes you may go to meet a long-time referral partner and do some business. In any case, the true master networkers know that networking events are about moving through the relationship process and not just about closing deals. Visibility leads to credibility which, with time and effort, leads to profitability.

Your goal at a networking event is to make yourself memorable without talking about yourself. It sounds paradoxical, doesn’t it? But, if you know how to do it, you will stand out in people’s minds when they look back on the event. The secret is simply to ask people about themselves and their businesses. In order to make your networking efforts work, you need to embrace a “relationship networking” mentality.

Remember these ten networking tips to make yourself stand out when attending networking events:

  1. Don’t go there to sell, go there to connect.
  2. Have meaningful conversations with the people you meet.
  3. Make yourself memorable.
  4. Talk less and listen more.
  5. Follow up with people you found interesting or who you can help in some way.
  6. Don’t follow up to sell them something.
  7. Don’t show off, show interest.
  8. Meet these people in a one-to-one setting and learn more about them
  9. Ask them: “how can I help you?”
  10. Go for the long-term relationship, not the short sale.

What is the goal of your networking? If it is to build your business, then it’s all about building a relationship with people. Keep your eye on the ball. Don’t try to dazzle them with your brilliance. You can do that later.

Stand out from the crowd and impress them with your genuine interest in them, not your interest in selling to them.

Tim Roberts

The Top Five Networking Mistakes – Guest video blog by Tim Robertsstring(72) "The Top Five Networking Mistakes – Guest video blog by Tim Roberts"

April 24, 2017
Guest Blog, Guest Video, Networking, Tim Roberts 4

BNI Executive Director, Tim Roberts, shares his tips on how to make your networking more effective by avoiding these five common mistakes.

Tim Roberts shares these tips to avoid while networking:

  1. Sales approach: People are not at networking events to buy things
  2. No preparation: A failure to plan
  3. Not consistent: Only networking occasionally
  4. Talks too much: Being a good listener is Ivan Misner’s number one characteristic of a good networker
  5. Making Assumptions: You do not know who other people know

Tim’s number one tip with networking: Working to better your skills and learning how to use them effectively is what really counts.

Click here to watch this video

7 Tips for Networking Newbiesstring(29) "7 Tips for Networking Newbies"

May 18, 2015
, , Networking, Networking Prep 3
NoIdea

Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For three decades, I have been traveling the globe teaching business owners and entrepreneurs how to effectively grow their business through referral marketing.  During the course of my travels over the years, I’ve found that time and time again, those who are new to networking are hungry for information on how to get started.  This makes complete sense because, after all, as crucial as networking is to business success, it still isn’t being taught in colleges and universities.

I think the main questions most new networkers have relate to trying to figure out what kind of networking group or organization is right for them.  It can be overwhelming because networking is a big commitment if you’re going to be successful at it and you certainly don’t want to join a group that isn’t a good fit for you.  So, if you’re new to networking and you’re in limbo about what groups you should or shouldn’t invest your time and effort with, I’ve outlined seven tips below that will help you narrow down the direction in which you should head. 

1) Strong Contact Networks are groups that meet weekly for the primary purpose of exchanging referrals.  Their meetings tend to be well structured and include open networking, short presentations by everyone, more detailed presentations by one or two members, and time devoted solely to exchanging business referrals.

2) Community service clubs give you an opportunity to put something back into the community where you do business while making valuable contacts and receiving some good PR to boot.  They can be a good source of word-of-mouth business.

3) Your goal in tapping into professional associations is to join organizations that contain your potential clients or target markets.

4) Women’s business organizations have been instrumental in shaping the nature of contemporary networking organizations.  Many groups are established as bona fide networking organizations; the members are there to network, and everything else is secondary.

5) Don’t let chance decide where you’re going to spend your time and effort.  If you have associates, partners, or employees, consider their participation when deciding which groups each of you will target.

6) When evaluating groups, find out when and where they meet, then schedule those you want to visit during the next two to six weeks.

7) For each group, consider these issues: How long has the group been in existence?  What is the basic philosophy of the organization?  How many members does it have?  What is the quality of the membership?  How does the cost compare with other forms of marketing?  How often does it meet?  How do other members feel about the group?  What is your overall impression of the group?

Whether you’re just getting started in the networking world or you’re a seasoned networker, I’d love to get your feedback on any additional tips which you’ve found to be particularly effective.  Please share your thoughts in the comment forum below; thanks in advance for your participation!

If You Don’t Have One, People Could Be Avoiding You . . .string(63) "If You Don’t Have One, People Could Be Avoiding You . . ."

November 10, 2011
, , , , , , , BNI, Building Relationships, Introducing Yourself, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Video Blog 10

Have you ever been to a networking event and purposely avoided someone you really wanted to talk to because you were embarrassed you couldn’t remember their name?  Well, if you’re not wearing a name badge at networking events, other people could be avoiding you for this very reason!

In this short video, my friend Kevin Barber and I explain why name badges are an extremely important tool for effective networking and why you should always be sure to wear a name badge at networking events.

Do you have an exemplary story that demonstrates how name badges have come in handy for you, or how the lack of a name badge (whether yours or someone else’s) affected your networking?  If so, I’d love to hear it so please share it in the comments section . . .

 

 

“Money on the Table”–How to Generate More Referrals for Networking Partnersstring(93) "“Money on the Table”–How to Generate More Referrals for Networking Partners"

June 23, 2011
, , , , , , Author, Book, Collaboration, Educational Resources, Ivan Misner, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referrals, Social Capital, Video Blog, Word of Mouth 2

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GpIfb-ymqU[/tube]

If you’re not familiar with Power Teams or Contact Spheres, they are two things that any networker aiming for maximum networking results will want to get very familiar with.

I have just released a new book with my co-author, Lee Abraham, called Money on the Table which is all about how to use Power Teams and Contact Spheres to generate more referrals for your networking partners.  Why should you take the time to learn how to get more referrals for those in your network?  Because this will ultimately pay off in more referrals for you and maximum results for your networking efforts.

In this short video, Lee and I talk a little bit about our new book and why we wrote it and we also explain a simple, quick exercise that will get you on the road to making the most of your network and generating more referrals for you and your networking partners.  So, grab a sheet of paper and a pen before clicking the play button–there are six bullet points you’ll definitely want to jot down.

After you’ve watched the video and done the quick networking exercise, come back and leave us a comment about what you thought of it.  We’d love to hear your thoughts!

To purchase a copy of Money on the Table, CLICK HERE.