The Professional Networker, Your Online Resource for Expanding Business Relationships

In The Beginning ……. Networking 101

Networking is not a new concept. It has been around for thousands of years. When the cave men were looking for a good spot to find food, they asked a neighbor. When the Israelites left Egypt, they asked each other for recommendations for someone to fix their sandals while wandering in the desert. People have been asking for suggestions and recommendations from other people they trust for ages.

Today, networking has become a necessity in maintaining a viable, thriving business. Serious business people network. pleasure, others with dread. Millions of people partake in the ritual, but so few network appropriately or even within the proper group to benefit their business.

Effective networkers strategically prepare for the events they will be attending. It is their job. They know the benefits that will be accomplished by proper preparation. They take the time to research and plan. Before they arrive at any networking encounter, they know who, what, when, where, and how to make each networking exchange successful for their business.

Let’s get into the details for making your networking activities successful.

  • WHO – It is important to know who will be attending and who is sponsoring the function. If you don’t know, call the sponsoring organization and ask them who usually attends the meeting and what types of companies and professionals they attract for membership. You should know about the sponsoring organization. Are they mostly business to business or business to consumer. Does the sponsoring organization allow non-members to participate in their activities? How many usually attend? How old is the organization?
  • WHAT – Is this a special event held once/year? Is the event new for the organization? Is there a theme? Is there a set purpose (i.e. speed networking, connections)
  • WHEN – If it is an evening event, you may want to bring a change of clothes to the office so you will be fresh for the event. You never know what can happen during the day to ruin an outfit. Along with clothing, you may want to freshen your whole look. Pack for the day appropriately for freshening up at the end of the day. Don’t forget to brush and floss.
  • WHERE – Don’t get lost. Get directions from the internet (www.randmcnally.com), print them out and bring them with you. Be sure to bring the details from the organization. Sometimes there are special instructions on where to meet or where to enter a building. Memories have a tendency to fade fast, so print everything out and bring it.
  • HOW – How does the host organization run the networking event? Is the event informal where participants “work the room” going from person to person, group to group introducing themselves. Or is the event facilitated? If so, do you introduce yourself to the entire group at once so that everyone hears what everyone else offers?, Or are you broken into smaller groups? If you are broken into smaller groups is it random or assigned. If assigned what is the criteria for assigning participants to which group? This information is critical in developing an effective strategy.

In closing, be a good steward of you networking budget. Don’t sign up for an event if you cannot go. Many people sign up and pay the fee for an event, and then life rears it’s ugle head and they do not go. Look at the price of the event and determine if the cost for pre-registering and the cost at the door is a large enough incentive to guarantee you will be able to attend the event. Weigh the costs along with your schedule. Sometimes it is better to sign up at the event if you have a busy schedule. If you plan to sign up at the event, be sure to call the hosting organization to be sure the event is still running and that there is space for you to walk in.

Sharan Tash is the President of The Professional Networker, Inc., a Wilmette based company that provides an online resource for expanding business relationships through the use of an events calendar that will go live in September for its’ members have access to. www.thepronetworker.com

Karla Williams is the President and founder of two successful businesses: FOCUS AMC is a $6M per year staffing company; and StrategyWise which provides educational services and products for business people. Presently she is launching a woman’s magazine aimed at professional women in the Northern Chicago suburbs. Passionate about the power of networking, she serves at the Chicagoland Managing Director for eWomenNetwork. (www.ewomennetwork.com)