Building a strong network is absolutely vital to a successful brand. Networking is essential to run and grow a business. From sales and strategic partners to new hires and opportunities, a strong network is always a vital piece to the puzzle. What most people don’t realize is that networking should be an integral part of your marketing plan. It’s not a one-off activity and must be guided by your business goals and brand strategy.
Walking into a room of people can be intimidating. Here are 7 steps to use networking as a key marketing tactic.
01. Identify your audience.
- Choose events where the people you want to connect with are hanging out. If your potential customers or partners are not attending the event it’s not a good use of your time. Identify events, conferences, business-to-business activities that attract the people you want to do business with. The exception to the rule is attending events to support a friend, colleague, client or cause.
02. Be yourself – be authentic.
Lead with interest in who you are meeting or networking with at the event. The key here is to build a relationship, get to know them and not sell them something on the spot. Exchange contact info so you can follow them on LinkedIn and continue getting to know them.
03. Use your branding tools.
Every networking situation calls for you to introduce yourself and your company. The brand statement from your messaging is your business elevator speech. Bring plenty of business cards to hand out when exchanging information with new people you’re meeting. Pro tip: Be sure to share your brand strategy messaging document with anyone on your team that is networking on the company’s behalf.
04. Work the room
It can be intimidating when you walk into a room full of people that you either don’t know or if you are acquainted with many of them, they’re already engaged in conversation. Grab a coffee or water then find someone you know and say hi. That will lead to a new intro to the person they are talking to. Remember, if it’s a networking event, people are there to meet new people so don’t be afraid to walk up to a group of strangers and introduce yourself.
05. Focus on a few.
Especially at large events, it may feel like you need to meet everyone there. You don’t and most likely not every person in the room is your ideal customer. Have a list in your head of who you want to meet at the event before you go, or survey the room and choose 3-5 people that you either want to talk with (so you can further build a rapport) or would like to meet. Effective networking is quality over quantity.
06. After “hello.”
Following up after the event is important. It helps start a relationship and leads to future conversations. Connect on LinkedIn and send a follow-up email referencing your in person conversation. Offer help. Send them an article or link you may have referenced. Offer to connect them to someone in your network if applicable. If there is an interest on their part in your business, attach your company brochure or capabilities deck. The important thing here is that you are not selling to them. Nobody wants to be sold to but people do appreciate meaningful, follow up emails with pertinent information for them.
07. Tips for trade shows/conferences.
If you are attending a large conference or trade show, the networking strategy starts before the show. Look at the attendee list before the conference and make a list of who you want to meet. Set meetings during the show for time to have deeper conversations. Research the presenters and speakers. Follow them on social media and engage with them prior to the event. Be sure your social media channels are show ready and up-to-date. Finally, bring more than enough business cards to hand out. What’s the point of going to a large conference without something to give new connections so they can contact you in the future?
Networking is about building your network and not sales. Yes, the sales will come later but this is a marketing tactic designed to build brand awareness for your business or organization. Lead with authenticity, how you can help while also educating people about your brand in a meaningful way. brand needs to be everywhere digitally because it probably doesn’t.
To find out how you can integrate networking into your marketing strategy, grab a spot on our calendar to schedule a free 30 minute consultation. For more tips on how to network like a bada$$ to build your brand and leads check out our Scale With Strategy series on our YouTube channel.
