10 Tips: make a lasting 1st Impression networking
Like it or not, people make snap judgments about you all the time. Here’s how to make sure they’re positive ones in your favor !!!
Topics: Be: Prepared, Confident, good Listener, Vulnerable, Sincere & Authentic, Look Successful & Interested, share your Failures, common Interests.
Whether it’s a sales call, a partner interview, investor pitch or chance meeting with someone you may want to know better, there are things you can do to leave a positive and lasting impression. Check out these quotes from executives who give their advice on how to do it to make your Networking more successful.
1. Be Prepared. “It sounds obvious, but it never ceases to amaze me how many people turn up for an appointment without having sufficiently researched the company, their needs, the people they are meeting with, & the sector the company operates in. Nothing that is in the public domain makes for a good question in & of itself. Demonstrate knowledge about the sector, the company & the people by doing the research. At every opportunity aska thoughtful question that already uses these facts to show you care. This will go a long way on establishing your credibility & winning over this person. ”
2. Be Confident. “When you’re truly comfortable with who you are, you naturally project confidence during Networking, which people will associate as a positive trait at the time of that first impression and you’ll be able to influence them more.”
3. Be Sincere & Authentic. “I always go into each meeting, appointment or conversation knowing that whatever impression I make will be a long lasting one. I do my best to be energetic & attentive. No one likes talking to someone who’s dull or lacks eye contact. Little things go a long way.”
4. Look Successful & Interested. “Be the first to introduce yourself, ask questions & listen. That means not talking about yourself most of the time, but engaging with the other person and allowing them to contribute to the conversation.”
5. Be a good Listener. “Be as polite as possible, whether it be listening to user/ customer feedback, listening to employees’ ideas & suggestions, or listening to advice from investors & mentors. Listen as careful as possible when others are speaking in meetings. Ask questions to clarify. I focus on listening to my team at all times for fantastic productivity & company culture.”
6. Focus on the other Person. “I have my most productive first encounters when I demonstrate a sincere interest in the other person. It is easy to get caught up in trying to show what I know, what I think, what I am doing & what I have accomplished. We all like to feel understood, and I’ve found others walk away with a good impression of our first encounter when they feel recognized for what they know, what they think, what they are working on & what they have accomplished.”
7. Be Vulnerable. “People get so hung up on projecting confidence when they meet new people, that they don’t really let them in. Be honest, open, & vulnerable from the first moment you meet someone. You’ll more quickly form the kind of human connection that sticks in their minds. The best customer or investor meetings I’ve had always start with a blunt overview of the challenges ahead.”
8. Don’t be afraid to share your Failures. “Starting a company is risky &hard. You’ve got to be accept that. 99% of startups fail, but that’s what makes being an entrepreneur so challenging. Rise up to the challenge and work as hard as you possibly can, to give whatever you’re doing the best chance. It doesn’t matter what kind of company you’re starting. If you focus more energy on succeeding, you’ll take as a learning experience – on the road to success. Inspire yourself with positive attitude and build a culture of creative adventurers who take big risks, but get big rewards. Positivity is contagious. Your team will catch it too. Be relentless. Work hard at the challenges, but most importantly, have fun with your team – to inspire them to more creativity & productivity.”
9. Find a common Interest. “I think that long-lasting, valuable business relationships start much the same way that personal ones do: naturally and where there is a good chemistry and a desire to stay connected through mutual interest. I prefer to make business networking more personal but these principles work just as well if you’re sharing business insights, links to interesting Blogs or relevant information about your products or services.”
10. Strive to Inspire. “Whenever I meet someone, I set myself the goal that they need to leave the conversation with a new lesson. I believe that a person will remember you, if you were able to tell them something new they did not know or see in that way before. It’s not only if they remember you, but how.”
Comments: I there anything else to do for more success in Networking?
from Global Advisors.biz 10 Oct 16 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz
To find out more about Networking, click here.