Don’t you want to learn and grow by helping others get to the top? Business networking is all about giving and not expecting one thing in return but most of the time it’s tenfold for the time you’ve invested in that client and also prospects.
Doesn’t everyone want to get the best bang for their buck? As a small business, and quite frankly any business, always wants to get the best return on your investment (ROI) as possible. Some things are much easier to measure then others. Business development and marketing can occasionally be considered harder to evaluate the ROI. It is much easier then you may have thought. Planning is the key to gauging your ROI.
Networking in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry can be a challenge at times. Usually individuals working in these fields are introverts and “selling” isn’t in their line of work. Networking actually has nothing to do with selling and everything to do with building relationships and trust. With some practice and consistency, you can soon be “Networking Like a Rock Star.”
Here are Some Tips on Networking Like a Rock Star
- It’s about the other person. Share and give because it will come back ten fold.
- Networking must be consistently done and usually takes years to become fruitful.
- Listen more than you talk. It should be 70% them talking and 30% you talking.
- Be genuine in your discussion and conversation.
- Networking is not about selling. It’s about building relationships and trust among others.
- Everyone in a firm is responsible for bringing in business. You could be responsible for bringing in the next big project.
- Say the person’s name three times in your head and you’re more likely to remember it.
- Take business cards everywhere you go (car, wallet, purse, golf bag, etc.), because you never know when you might meet someone you want to give one to.
- Follow up with anything you have promised to do with someone.
- Do not sit or converse with your co-workers when you are at an event. You can do this at the office or a company function.
