The 5 Least Important Skills for Networking Success

Recently, I wrote about better ways to network, based on a survey I conducted of almost 3,400 people around the world. In the survey, I asked participants what they thought the top characteristics of a great networker were. However, knowing what not to do can sometimes be as important as knowing what to do in developing a skill. In this article, I will walk you through the five least important skills needed to be a great networker, according to the respondents of this survey.

Over the last 30 years, I’ve found that most people assume that being an extrovert is an advantage in networking. But let’s take a good look at the bottom five characteristics. Four out of the five least important skills to be a great networker had something to do with being outspoken or bold -- characteristics more aligned with an extrovert than an introvert.


Fearless.

Based on the survey, the fifth least important skill for networking was being fearless. Extroverts tend to be more fearless and confident, but when it came to identifying the skills of a great networker, this was not very important to an overwhelming majority of people.

Asking for the sale.


The fourth least important skill was asking for the sale. Extroverts almost always ask for the sale quicker than an introvert does. Yet, this is a skill that most people think is not very important in order to be a great networker.

Assertive.

The third least important skill was being a self-promoter. This particular result seems completely counter-intuitive at first. How can self-promotion not be an important skill for great networkers? Well, the answer to that is easy. In order for networking to be effective, it has to be about the relationship, not the transaction. Many, many people get this one wrong. I think it is the single biggest reason why some people hate networking. They go to a networking event and have one person after another try to sell to them. Very few introverts can be called self-promoters, so this is one more example where being an introvert may not hurt your chances to network well.

Directness.

The second least important skill was directness. This is an interesting one because being direct in your business dealings is often considered to be an attribute. However, when it comes to networking, it seems to be viewed more as pushy, which is clearly not a strength in building relationships. Again, extroverts are more inclined to come across as direct than introverts are.

Social media savvy.

The least important characteristic of a great networker, based on this survey, was in many ways very surprising. It was an attribute that could easily apply to both introverts and extroverts. It was being social media savvy. I included this in the survey because I have found that many people think that networking online is pretty much all they need to do to network effectively. I believe that online networking has great value, but it does not replace face-to-face networking. However, even I was surprised that it ranked dead last by 3,400 business people all around the world.

After viewing this data, I thought surely, millennials would rank this characteristic much higher. So, I compared the survey responses of people under 30 to this result. I discovered that there was in fact, a difference. The under 30 crowd ranked this characteristic second to last! Seriously, second to the last. Even millennials understand that social media skills are not an indicator of great networking ability.

So, if you want to be a great networker, understand the essentials of better networking as well as these much lesser important skills. The combination of knowing what to do, and what not to do, will help you to network like a pro.

Source: htt://www.entrepreneur.com
Image Credit: Shuttershock

ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business networking association dedicated to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs develop, expand and grow. We offer affordable opportunities to help create a positive impact and advancement in your business interests and personal quality of life to take you to the next level.
Stay Connected with WNFP!

6 Things You Must Do Before Your Next Networking Event

Selena Soo is a publicity and business strategist who helps experts, authors and coaches, build their brand and increase their influence. The founder of Impacting Millions was on a recent episode of Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income Podcast, where she shared her top tips for networking with influencers, but these tips merely scratched the surface of her deep knowledge of networking, relationship building and publicity.

Below are some of her top tips for preparing for a networking event in order to maximize the number and quality of connections you make.

1. Write Down Your Goals For The Event

Before you head out to a meet-up or happy hour, get clear on your objectives so you can optimize your actions both before you go and once you're there. "Take time to think through why you're attending, who you want to meet, and what you'd like to achieve," Soo says.

Write down what you're hoping to accomplish, and the types of people you're hoping to connect with. If there's an attendee list, you can note specific individuals you want to meet, but even without a list, you can create "types" of people you want to connect with; potential clients, local media, fellow podcasters, etc. Consider exploring why those goals are important to you to make sure your objectives are clear. Without clear goals, you won't be able to measure if you've been successful.

2. Research The People You Want To Meet

If you're able to find the names of speakers and fellow attendees that you'd be interested in meeting, you need to do some homework so you have a basis for those introductory conversations. Arming yourself with information maximizes the chance that those conversations will be productive and memorable.

"Google them. Look up their LinkedIn page. See if they have a personal or business website. Look at their Facebook page or profile to learn about what's important to them or what they're working on," Soo suggests. "Knowing even just a few tidbits about their lives and business will help you spark a connection right away."

3. Reach Out In Advance

"No need to wait for the event to start connecting," Soo says. If you've researched the folks you're most interested in meeting, you can send them a personal email to let them know that you'll be there as well, and you're interested in connecting.

If you aren't able to track down specific contact information (or even if you are!) consider posting to your social accounts using the event hashtag that you'll be attending the event and you're interested in meeting like-minded folks. If the event is a large conference with an app or a designated Facebook Group or other community, consider posting an introduction there as well, to maximize your visibility with fellow attendees.

4. Plan Your Outfit

Yep. You read that right. "Consider planning your outfit at least a day or two before the event so you can put your best foot forward," Soo says. "You want your appearance to send the right message about your business."

Choose something clean, professional, wrinkle-free and appropriate for the event theme and location. If your event requires travel, be sure to check the weather so you're properly dressed for conditions, and consider a removable outer layer, since many event spaces will crank up the air conditioning to compensate for having so many people packed into a small space.

"In today's social media-driven age, there's a good chance you'll get tagged in someone's photo or video," Soo notes, "So you want to look your best."

5. Create A Contact Information Strategy

"One problem that often arises from meeting new people is that their contact info ends up all over the place," Soo says. "You get a business card from one person, a scribbled name and number on a napkin from another, and you write someone else's info on a random page in your event binder."

If the information you collect is disorganized or inconsistent, it's unlikely you'll be able to do meaningful follow-up, so spend some time figuring out how you'll collect and keep track of contact information.

Soo suggested designating a pocket or envelope as the sole place you'll put business cards so they're all in one place, and using a single notebook or sheet of paper to collect any other contact information not on a business card.

6. Be Prepared To Talk About Your Work

"Because people will likely ask about what you do, it's helpful to have in mind three interesting or compelling talking points about your business," Soo says. "These should relate to your ideal client in some way and show them how you help people."

When compiling these talking points, focus on those things that make you and your work most unique and keep it concise. The goal is to be interesting and memorable, but not to give a monolog.

"You don't only want to talk about yourself," Soo advises. "You can use these as jumping off points for back-and-forth conversations. This means asking them questions about what they do, and what brought them to the event."

Image Credit: Getty images
Source: http://www.inc.com

ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business networking association dedicated to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs develop, expand and grow. We offer affordable opportunities to help create a positive impact and advancement in your business interests and personal quality of life to take you to the next level.
Stay Connected with WNFP!

3 Things to Value When Networking With an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are the best people to network with and listen to. Whether you are watching them talk in a video or seminar or you’re directly talking to them one on one, take note of everything they say. 

Showing value to an entrepreneur will show the entrepreneur how serious you are. They will know immediately if you value what they’re telling you. Entrepreneurs usually have busy schedules and not much time to spare. So when you get a chance to have a meeting with them, there are a few things you need to respect about them.

1.Value their time.
A lot of entrepreneurs don’t have very much time to spare. They are usually booked with meetings and the daily upkeep of their businesses. When you lock in a meeting with an entrepreneur, make sure that you value their time. Show them that you value their time by being prepared when the meeting starts. Have everything ready to go and be short and to the point about what you’re looking for.

If you have a 30 minute meeting with them try to wrap up the meeting by 25 minutes and let them know that you value their time. You will prove it to them by wrapping up early. This will make them more inclined to scheduling more meetings with you because you showed them you valued their time.

2. Value their feedback.
If you’re meeting up with entrepreneurs to get feedback on a product that you have or trying to get an idea of what worked for them, then you need to value their feedback. Everybody has different ways of doing things and they will all have different opinions of your product.

Make sure that you take into consideration their feedback about your product and how you can do something better. Keep an open mind when asking for feedback. It could sound like something completely off the wall but if it worked for them there’s a chance it can work for you as well. Give it a shot and if it doesn’t work then you know what isn’t helping.

But make sure you take what they say into consideration and have the trial and error for them when you meet up with them again. If they see that you tried what they said and it didn’t work, they will be willing to offer and provide more help knowing that you listened to them and valued their feedback. 

3. Value their ideas.
Entrepreneurs are great at acting on their ideas. When their ideas don’t work out they move on and act on their next idea. When one idea doesn’t work out they don’t let it slow them down. So when you are talking with an entrepreneur and they’re giving you ideas of how to make a program or how to provide more value, you need to listen to them and value what they’re saying.

A lot of entrepreneurs are mentors because they have been there and they have a pretty good idea of how things work. Entrepreneurs tend to give great ideas and provide value to the people they’re talking to. Don’t take that for granted. If they have an idea and it just doesn’t resonate with you, keep listening.

They will have more than one idea to pitch your way. Make sure you show that you value their ideas by taking them into consideration and giving them a try. They are more likely to stop meeting with you if they know you aren’t trying what they tell you.


Being able to have meetings or phone calls with entrepreneurs can really help you on your journey but you have to value their time and what they have to offer or they will stop giving you the time of day. 

Image Credit: Shutterstock
Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com


ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business networking association dedicated to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs develop, expand and grow. We offer affordable opportunities to help create a positive impact and advancement in your business interests and personal quality of life to take you to the next level.
Stay Connected with WNFP!