It’s frustrating. You’re attending all the right networking events and industry conferences, but something is not clicking. Your new business prospect list is not growing. The phone is not ringing with networking follow-up calls.
The difficulty might be your communication style. From time to time, we all get caught up in our own business aims and lose sight of the point of any communication – the exchange of info. Developing a snug self-awareness can be your biggest networking ally. So watch for the four primary networking missteps that will prevent you from being as effective a networker as you’d like.
1. Mixed Messaging. Occasionally we think that we’re sending one message, when our perspective and words really say something different altogether. So be clear about the business message you would like to send. State it to oneself before your one-minute elevator speech at a networking event. Rehearse a second, more casual but concise, business definition for unstructured networking prospects. If you are not convinced, nobody else will be. For instance, I recently concluded that making an attempt to promote an ability I do not enjoyed was hampering my networking success. After I got clear about this it was much easier to obviously position and pitch the talents I was committed to expanding.
2. Inappropriate Response-itis. It occurs all the time. I see it in networking, during client conferences and in promoting systems. You state your key business message and then you fail to respond suitably to the input or response that you receive. Perhaps you keep making an attempt to make the same point again and again ( only a little restating your primary point ). Perhaps you are racing ahead in your consciousness thinking about what you need to say next rather than listening to what is being asserted to you. You see some other person you “must ” speak with and your attention is compromised. In any communication, it is vital to really listen. Process the reply you receive and make it part of your own reply. For example, replies that indicate active listening include : “I’m glad to hear you say that… ” “that is’s an interesting point because… ” Give and take, rather than one-sided promotion, is the sole way to move conversation forward in a way that is respectful to both parties.
A case of unfit response-itis : I lately inquired about a business service. Notwithstanding the indisputable fact that I said to the sales representative exactly what info I required to make a buying call, the sales representative kept responding with what sounded like “scripted ” responses. After one or two minutes it was clear that this person did not understand how to go off script to shut the sale or to actually reply to my questions. Stay flexible. Listen and let the oral cues you receive identify your contribution to the conversation.
3. Body Language Blocks. Effective business networking also entails watching for body language cues. If you feel your message is being “blocked, ” look to work out if the individual you’re talking to has their arms crossed in a determined manner. Watch for such cues and use your own body language to certainly buttress your message. If someone is presenting such a closed body posture keep your posture relaxed and open. Use hand gestures with your palms upward. In a genial manner probe to find out what interests them or is crucial to them. Folk like to talk about themselves and they want to know their wants are heard. When both yours and their body language is relaxed and deferential ( e.g. Making good eye contact ) your business message has much more chance of coming across successfully.
4. Missing Message Confirmation. This will seem obvious, but frequently it’s easy to forget to ratify that your key networking message was clearly received. For instance, you can strengthen your business message during networking by asserting, “Now that I’ve told you all about my promoting expertise in end-user products, let me know about your business. ” if you are trying to relay product info ask an open-ended query like, “What questions have you got about these nutritive products in particular formulated for women? ” It’s equivalent to asking in a personal situation, “Am I making sense? “
Flourishing business networking takes comfortable self-awareness and your total attention. When you start and end chats clearly, while staying alert to physical cues, and are flexible and open to particular inconclusive opportunities that naturally arise in any conversation, your message gets heard loud and clear.
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