In these days of LinkedIn and video calls, it can be jarring for some of us to realise that the skills of old-school, face-to-face networking are still important.
We recently held a workshop for Infinity programme startups, led by Forefront Coaching, to help make sure quantum tech founders are on top of their game when they walk into a room to make connections and grow their business.
And networking is not just about events - you can also use the same principles in a chance meeting with a valuable connection, for example.
Here are just some of the top tips the experts at Forefront shared:
Getting ready to network
- Who’s attending?: Serendipity has its place, but researching an event’s attendees in advance (if a list is available) is important. It means you can identify exactly who might be able to help you most and you have plenty of time at the event to find them and strike up a conversation.
- Set clear goals: As with almost anything in business, being clear to yourself about your goals can help you achieve more from an interaction
In the room
- Be aware of "desperation energy": Don’t look like you’re so desperate to achieve your own outcomes that you don’t take into account what other people want from the interaction, too. Focus on providing value to others
- Embrace tangents: Don’t worry if conversations take an unexpected turn - this could lead to valuable opportunities.
- Plan "last chance" interactions: Remember to be efficient with your time. When you have 45 minutes or so until you’re going to leave, make sure you make time to speak to any key people you’ve not spoken with yet.
Following up
- Log everything: Nothing comes of networking if you don’t follow up! Keep a record of everyone useful who you spoke to and the valuable conversations you had
- Get in touch: Send a personalised followup by email or LinkedIn connection invite with a personal note explaining where you met. Scheduling a follow-up meeting with them can be a good idea, to keep the conversation going.
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If you're struggling to make an impact at networking events, Forefront Coaching can help—reach out today to Mike Evans or William Pretsell to find out more.