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| Top five traits of a good networker |
| 02.11.2011 12:33:44 | |
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What makes a good networker? At my morning networking meeting today, I was reminded of the top 5 traits of a good networker. These are:
Follow up on referrals It never ceases to amaze me, how clients spend a fortune generating leads and then never prioritise to actually follow up and get back to people. I have seen clients attend exhibitions spending weeks developing bespoke purpose built stands, to gain signficant number of contacts, but fail to follow up properly on these people. It is vital to ensure you have a process to generate referrals and to follow up with referrals and one which reminds you (if relevant) to thank your contact for the referral. Have a positive attitude Do you adopt a "glass half full" approach or is it "always empty"? People like to network with people who are cheerful, upbeat and positive. There is enough negativity in this world with the news and people who moan about everything, positive people are much more fun to be with. If you want to be successful at networking - be a positive, be a can do person. Be enthusiastic and motivated When you meet people, be enthusiastic about what you do - if you have enthusiasm and passion - this will come across. Show you are a motivated person, fellow networkers will feel more likely to engage with you and pass referrals on. There is nothing worse than standing at a networking event with a person who is "bored" and lacks enthusiasm. Be trustworthy Be reliable and honest and do what you say you will. I am unlikely to pass a referral to a person I do not trust. Ensure good listening skills Networking is about developing relationships and you cannot do this by talking about yourself all the time. Ask open questions - "who, what, where, why, how" etc., and listen to the answers - get to know the people you are networking with, what makes them "tick"?, what is their unique sales proposition in business? and how might you be able to help them? These are not all the traits of a good networker, but they are 5 key ones - does anyone else have any other thoughts? I would look forward to hearing them. Cheers for now Ann Goodwin
Tags: Networking skills | what makes a good networker Hits: 381 | Read more... |
