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Make a Positive First Impression
How to be remembered by everyone you meet at a networking function, and how not to get lost among the other dozen people your “contact” spoke to!
Here’s a question:
Generally speaking, during most conversations do people like to talk more about: a) Themselves, or b) Other people.
The answer is of course, (a) Themselves.
Another Question:
Generally speaking, during most conversations do people: a) Tend to talk more than they listen, or b) Tend to listen more than they talk.
The Answer is of course , (a) Tend to talk more than they listen.
And another question:
If at networking events you’re listening while they’re talking, and then you ask a good follow-up question based on the information you just heard, are you going to be less or more likely to stand out in their minds?
The answer is more likely of course!
And if we know that networking is less about meeting new people than having them remember you after the fact, then keeping these techniques in mind is a great first step in helping you stand out from the crowd.
So how do get someone to remember you from the other ten people he met that very same night?
Well, simply ask the ‘right’ questions of people when you’re talking to them.
‘‘So where else do you normally network?’‘ Is a good example and an absolute gem! Not only does it help break the ice during that sometimes-awkward period just after you’ve introduced yourself, but it also gives you a chance to talk about something you both know a little bit about. Another reason this is such a great question is that it gives you the opportunity to make an “instant connection” with that other person, by providing valuable information they might not have had before.
And as we all know, one of the keys to creating a solid business contact is to first make a connection with that individual. As an example of this, if you’re at a networking event and ask someone where they normally network, and they say they don’t because they don’t know of many networking events, and you tell them all about BNI and how they can join you as a visitor to check it out and see how they can get lots more business, you’ll almost be able to see the relief in their eyes! And that’s what I mean when I talk about creating a connection with someone, and developing a solid business contact. And let me ask you something, if that were you, would you remember me after that event? You bet.
‘‘So what do you like best about what you do?’‘ Is another great question, one I like to ask early on in the conversation because in my opinion it’s a little “fresher” approach to the old, “So what do you do?” Everyone’s been asked that one before, and this question here gives you another option for getting that same information. One caveat though: About 40% of the time I ask this question, people turn it right around and ask me the same thing. So don’t say I didn’t warn you.
‘‘Oh I see. So what got you started in that direction?’‘ Is another example question you can ask. This is a great question to ask during the latter stages of the conversation, and of the three questions above, this will usually elicit the longest response. And that’s good too, because now we’re getting ready to wind down our conversation, but not before we get a chance to learn a little bit about what motivates this person, and how they got to where they are today.
All through this, remember to smile and be genuinely interested in what the other person is saying (or at least appear to be!). The people you remember most from any event are the ones that listened and were genuinely interested in you as a person – try this out and give other people this attention and you will start building stronger connections from your first-time meets!
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Have you got any great questions that you ask whilst you’re networking, share them with us below…
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About the author
Name: Rachel Brushfield
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Website: www.liberateyourtalent.com
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