By Brighter Directions Sales Executive, Emma:
I can now say I have survived my first solo networking event and, can honestly say I loved it!
The networking event in question was a ladies only membership group I was kindly invited to by a business contact, so happily booked myself on with anticipation to the run up of the day nerves started to kick in and the task ahead seemed daunting..
I shouldn’t have worried – The atmosphere, people and the support all made me feel comfortable from the moment I walked into the room.
Everyone was welcoming and showed an interested in what I had to say which all amounted to me walking out with a massive smile on my face, some excellent new business contacts and great referrals in hand.
I have always had the ‘gift of the gab’ (hence why I am a sales executive) so I suppose talking for a living suits me down to the ground!
I have found networking is a great way to meet people who you can talk to about your business without the hard selling pitch, yet you still get great results and sales!
My three top tips for first time networkers are:
– Be confident in yourself and your 60 second pitch, everybody is in that room to listen to what you have to say and to see how you can help them and the people they know.
– Make sure you arrive early; this will give you a chance to meet everybody in the room before the event begins. This will also familiarize you with what everybody does which could make the referral round easier.
– Make sure you follow up with the people you meet, even if it is just to talk about how they found the last event, as this will start to build foundations of trust.
Overall I have found I am becoming a network-aholic, having attended four events in just one week! That is because I have found the more people you get to know, the more you can trust them, the more business you will receive from the relationships you have formed.
If you would like to speak to me regarding how we at Brighter Directions can help you with your business Marketing or Social Media support, please call me on 01246 252855
