Soar to Success June 2015

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Networking scares
people - it just does
By Tina Imperial, Marketing Manager, Rainmakers
W alking into a full room, talking to people
youdon’t know, trying toencapsulateall
that you do in a 5 minute conversation
can be a little overwhelming. Like anything,
when you are prepared, you feel more in control
and get better results. Successful networkers
are prepared networkers, and being prepared
doesn’t take a lot of time. It takes a few minutes
to gather your thoughts, envision your desired
results, and go for it!
Think of this…
What happens when you go to the grocery store
with no list? You buy things you don’t need,
forget the things you do need, and overspend
because you have no parameters. The same
is true for networking. When you walk into a
networking opportunity unprepared, you will
likely “accept” whatever comes your way and
spend too much time talking to people who
may not be able to help you.
Preparation can take place minutes before you
walk in – before the event, get clear on what
your goals are for attending. Make sure you
understand who you are looking to meet or
what you want to share with others so you get
the results you want.
You may have a different “ask” each time you
are networking, and that is ok. Your “ask” is
based on what you are working on and it’s your
job to make sure people know how to help you.
Maybe you were looking for “this” and now you
are looking for “that.” As long as people know
how to help you, they will.
And, by all means, don’t forget to see how you
can add value to others in the room. You may
have people and resources in your life that
would be beneficial to them, so the next time
there is a lull in the conversation, turn it over
to them and ask, “So, how can I help you?”
You may be surprised at how easy it is to help
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SOAR TO SUCCESS | JUNE 2015 | Business Acceleration Strategies