5 Proven Tips to Improve Your Networking Skills

I have a question for you…

What’s the biggest asset for a company? Is it your property or goodwill or something else?

Yes! It can be. But the biggest asset that can make or break your business is nothing else then “People”. Your employees, your customers, investors, or any person who is directly or indirectly connected to your business are the biggest asset of a company.

How to surround yourself with such beneficial people who can help you in stepping forward?

You have to work hard on your Networking skills. Networking is not just a way to increase the number of contacts in your phone, adding few more email IDs, or increasing the number of followers in your social media account.

It’s way more than that: It’s about finding the right people from a right place that can give a right solution in a right situation. So, stop being biased for networking as this is a skill that can help you in making a bridge to reach success.

Why Networking?
 

Here are some reasons that will tell you why networking is really important for you and you should start working on it.

• Increase in business.

• Increase in opportunities.

• Great source of connections.

• Source of befitting advice.

• Enhancing your personality.

• Provides a positive ambiance.

• Learn from people.

So, these were some of the reasons that why you should pay attention towards enhancing your networking skill. Here are 5 proven tips for you to improve your networking skills.

Networking starts from the time you meet a person. All you have to do is to give a good start to your conversation. So the other person can automatically get attracted towards your approach and would like to work with you.

What do you ask when you meet a person the first time?

“What do you do?”

Trust me! This question can alone help you in getting involved in any conversation. The only thing you have to take care of is, don’t just ask this question to know his/her designation, but to know that how you can be helpful for a person.

So, now you know that what the person in front of you want to listen. So, whatever you’re into explain your work in the way that the person standing in front of you can understand that how you can be useful for them.

Always remember: Try to cut the work from your mindset

No one likes to have a conversation with a robot who speaks the same line in front of everyone and always target their benefits. Understand that the person talking to you is relevant to you or not. If you’re targeting the wrong people, they will pull you back and it will only waste your time. Don’t make a bad impression as no one knows who can be helpful in that situation. But still, try to strike on you the target crowd.

For example:

If you’re a salesperson, in spite of saying, “I am a sales executive.” You can say, “I am the one who connects the client with my company and delivers them the best services.”

No one likes to get indulged with a sales person, but a person who is in touch with all the clients of her/his company can absolutely be helpful for them.

Going somewhere without a destination will result in you nowhere. Now a question arises, “What setting goals have to do with networking?”

The connection between both the things is networking is done to achieve something and what is the something that you have to decide. This will help you in understanding in:

• Who is your target audience?

• Where to go for creating the network?

If you succeed in answering these two questions half of your work is already done. Talking about the map, yes! It’s always important to keep a track of how to do things. Once you've decided whom and where to target, make a plan of:

• How to reach?

• How to connect?
   

How you make connections in real life? The same way you have to work professionally too. Leaving behind the advantageous that you can get from that person to start interacting.

Ask questions!

Yes, it makes the other person think about what you are saying and while receiving the answer, pay attention as it is the matter of your life. Try to use positive sentences more as it can leave an impact on the person listening to you. Most importantly, listen first and then speak.

Be a good listener and it will make you a good speaker.

Networking requires few tools. It can't work meeting new people and that’s it. You have to keep them in touch with you and for this, you need to be ready with few tools such as:

• Your Business cards

• Your all time available contact no.

• Your Professional email I.D

You never know that who will get interested in your ideas and would like to get connected with you. At this situation, if you will be asked to provide your contact information and you fail to do so. Trust me! Nothing can be more embarrassing than this.

So always be ready with your tools and welcome everyone who is paying attention towards you.

This tip is little weird, but no doubt can work for you like magic.

Whenever you’re in some trouble and if a person comes and introduce you to a right person who can solve your issue. We never forget such kind-hearted ones, right! And try to help them in future whenever required.

This technique can be well used while doing networking for your business as well. Try to make two people interact or introduce them seeing their requirement. It creates a strong connection between you and both people at the same time.

Hence helping once can give two strong connections. Not a big deal right?

So these were the 5 points that can help you improve your networking skills . Apart from this always keep your mind and eyes opened and welcome everyone. Sometimes we don't even have an idea that the person we are talking can be how much important for us. Try to listen everyone and then prioritize people according to your goals.