Networking: An essential tool in business Part 1.
In the Oxford advanced learners dictionary, networking is defined as trying to meet and talk to other people who maybe useful to you in your walk in life. For the benefit of this edition I will be using it in the context of work.
The key words in that definition are, MEET ,TALK ,PEOPLE ,USEFUL ,YOU AND WORK,
Its full impact is that you and other people are useful in your work if you can meet and talk or talk and meet.
Since it has been established that networking is essential to our work, how then do we go about it you may ask?Well let’s explore it together.
We have been told that it is through meeting and talking to other people.Where do we have the privilege of meeting other people? Virtually everywhere we turn.But it is left to us to discern which environment, meeting or kind of people will help our business, it’s crucial you see every minute, hour and everyday as an opportunity to network. Does that mean you will go up to people and start talking about your business? The answer to that is a kinda yes and no.
No, because you can’t go on the road and just start shouting or talking about your business, although that is a kind of marketing! and yes , because when the opportunity present itself you have to take it and have your elevator pitch ready!Elevator pitch is, you talk about you,your business and aspiration in the space of a minute,(just about the same time a lift reaches it destination and your companion is ready to dash off) everyone you meet is a potential customer that can benefit from your business and generate you newer opportunities, so maximise your meeting.
Networking can be formal and informal. It is formal when it is specifically arranged to bring people of
like minds together e g seminars, conferences etc.
Networking takes at least two, someone you have just met for instance and talking to, may be the one to derive a potent information from your conversation, and it just may be you, so it is important to share common knowledge on other topics or discussion and you never can tell what goldmine you are walking into.
It could also be informal where by pure coincidence you meet someone in a peculiar or totally unplanned manner and your show of interests, courtesy lead to a conversation and you strike a bond from both talking about your job, you and life in general.
It can also be said to be formal or informal if you have identified someone or persons or company that you know is essential to your work and you take your time out to go and find them in other to build a working relationship.
Whatever way you choose to network ,it is essential you know how to initiate command and hold a discussion. It is quite different from showing off or telling fibs please do not cook up stories especially if it’s easy to find out either on the short or long run. Just be modest and intriguing.
To be continued.
The key words in that definition are, MEET ,TALK ,PEOPLE ,USEFUL ,YOU AND WORK,
Its full impact is that you and other people are useful in your work if you can meet and talk or talk and meet.
Since it has been established that networking is essential to our work, how then do we go about it you may ask?Well let’s explore it together.
We have been told that it is through meeting and talking to other people.Where do we have the privilege of meeting other people? Virtually everywhere we turn.But it is left to us to discern which environment, meeting or kind of people will help our business, it’s crucial you see every minute, hour and everyday as an opportunity to network. Does that mean you will go up to people and start talking about your business? The answer to that is a kinda yes and no.
No, because you can’t go on the road and just start shouting or talking about your business, although that is a kind of marketing! and yes , because when the opportunity present itself you have to take it and have your elevator pitch ready!Elevator pitch is, you talk about you,your business and aspiration in the space of a minute,(just about the same time a lift reaches it destination and your companion is ready to dash off) everyone you meet is a potential customer that can benefit from your business and generate you newer opportunities, so maximise your meeting.
Networking can be formal and informal. It is formal when it is specifically arranged to bring people of
like minds together e g seminars, conferences etc.
Networking takes at least two, someone you have just met for instance and talking to, may be the one to derive a potent information from your conversation, and it just may be you, so it is important to share common knowledge on other topics or discussion and you never can tell what goldmine you are walking into.
It could also be informal where by pure coincidence you meet someone in a peculiar or totally unplanned manner and your show of interests, courtesy lead to a conversation and you strike a bond from both talking about your job, you and life in general.
It can also be said to be formal or informal if you have identified someone or persons or company that you know is essential to your work and you take your time out to go and find them in other to build a working relationship.
Whatever way you choose to network ,it is essential you know how to initiate command and hold a discussion. It is quite different from showing off or telling fibs please do not cook up stories especially if it’s easy to find out either on the short or long run. Just be modest and intriguing.
To be continued.
Comments