If you've been in the business world for any time at all, you've probably heard that you must network to build your business or career.Since you're eager to put sound advice into practice, you find out when the next event is held, grab a stack of business cards, and you arrive ready to make those all important connections.After a couple of hours, you've shaken hands and briefly spoken to 15 - 50 people. When you get back to your office, you have your stack of newly acquired cards in front of you. You can now do one of three things -
Put the cards away so that they can gather dust over the next year or two
Do some "busy work" by entering the contact information into your database of choice and wait for the incoming phone calls and e-mails you're sure to get
Do the real work of not only adding your contacts into your database (and any applicable notes that you took during your initial contact), but also meeting with your new contacts to see how you can start to build a long term business relationship.
Surprisingly, you're among the minority if you chose the option of doing the "real" work of building relationships. That puts you at the head of the class. One of the best ways to start this process is by having a one-on-one coffee meeting.As with any business meeting, there are steps you must take to avoid the trap of wasting your time (and $2.00 - $5.00, depending on your tastes) on "fluff"... talking about all kinds of stuff that have little, if anything, to do with your achieving your business or career goals.Here are six essential steps you must take to ensure that your meeting produces the results that you want; the building of a solid relationship -1. Sort your contacts by potential goal similaritiesThough everyone you meet could potentially lead to your next big sale, or to your ideal job, there's not enough time for you to meet each person individually in a reasonable amount of time. To make the best use of your time, you should concentrate on setting your initial meetings with those that cater to the same customer base that you're targeting, or for the job seeker, those that can put you in touch with a hiring manager in the company for which you'd like to work. This should be done after each networking event you attend.That doesn't mean that you should neglect your other contacts. You should stay in touch with them when they have special occasions in their life, such as anniversaries and birthdays. If you read an article of interest, or know of an event that they may want to attend, pass the information on to them.How would you get this information if you don't meet with them in person? Connect with them on the social media sites.2. Prepare your agenda Your agenda should allow for you to find common ground. You'll want to find out what their goals are for their business. Find out what special skills they have, and what they're especially proud of business-wise and personally. What organizations do they belong to that may be a good fit for your goals?You'll find that it should take approximately 30 minutes to go through this. You'll also find out that you will have discovered much more about your colleague than you know about most of your other contacts.Note - You may find that you're getting along famously with your partner. This is where most people lose control of the business part of the coffee meeting. To keep a great meeting from turning into a coffee klatch, I recommend timing your meeting. This will serve three purposes. First, it respects the schedule of the other person. Second, when a meeting goes well, it gives you a great reason to get together again to fill in details and see how you can either help grow their business, or help them solve their business' pain. Third, it allows you to have another in-person touch point. When it comes to networking and people's memories, it's much better to see someone multiple times than it is to see them for one long meeting.3. Invite your "A" list contacts to meet with you one-on-one
Once you have your contacts sorted, it's time for you take the initiative to set a meeting time. Along with finding a date and time to meet, be sure that your meeting partner gets a confirmation e-mail with the details, the planned duration of your meeting, and a copy of your agenda. This will help them to prepare their information for you so that you can get down to business.4. Have some coffee (or tea, or smoothie) This is where the fun continues. I've found that a quiet coffee shop or restaurant between the breakfast and lunch rushes works best. Since you're there to talk about your business or career ideas and goals, your location choice should be relatively quiet. The location you choose should be easy to locate for both of you. You'll also want to have tables that provide enough room for your beverages, as well as having space for note taking.5. Sort/refine your contacts againAs you go through this process, you'll find that your goals and interests match better with some people more than others. That means your meetings are producing the results you're looking for.For those that have similar goals and interests, you'll schedule times in the future to continue to build on what you've learned. For those that may not closely match your goals, move them to your list of contacts with whom you'll stay in touch. When they have special events in their lives and businesses, send them well wishes. Give them occasional updates about your progress on the projects you've discussed during your meeting.6. Stay in touchThere is no bigger failing for your networking activities than to let those that you've met fall by the wayside. This is especially true for those that took the time to meet with you one-on-one. Never forget that while they may not be an ideal match for you now, their businesses and lives will have changes that you may be able to complement. They'll also meet others that may be a better fit for you and since you've stayed in touch with them, they'll remember you when someone looks for your services and products.You'll notice that during this time, you're not to sell your product or service to your coffee mate. Few things are a bigger turn off than being sold something you don't want. Remember, the number one purpose of your meeting is to find common ground that you will build on over time.You may be asking yourself "Isn't this too rigid? Won't this turn people off?" The answer is that if you're meeting with the right people, those that understand what effective networking really involves, you will have new friends that will appreciate the structure. They'll see that you value their time. They'll see that you take your business or career seriously because of your preparation. They'll be impressed by how much information you've exchanged, and how you may be able to help each other to reach your respective goals.If you're like me, you have many contacts in other states, or other countries. You'll be happy to know that you can have a productive coffee meeting with those contacts, too, by using technology. All you need is a VoIP program like Skype, and an optional webcam and you're ready to build your network without geographical constraints. This is especially beneficial if you have long distance clients, or if you'd like to expand your business or career search to a distant area. It's also a great way to interview those you may want to collaborate with on a future product offering. For those looking for a new job or career, you can use this format to hold an information interview by modifying your script.Building business relationships are essential for those wishing to have success in our chosen careers. One of the best ways to get to know your contacts is by having an effective coffee meeting. With the right preparation, and working your plan, you'll be able to accelerate the business building process, and develop the relationships you'll need for long term success in any business pursuit.
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