THE social NETWORK

Valerie Delforge

Business Skills

Networking is a free form of marketing and can have a powerful impact, so it is crucial to take it seriously. But how can we make sure we’re not wasting time or focusing on the wrong types of activity? Here are five tips to help you achieve success when networking.

1 Plan ahead

It’s amazing the number of people I meet who don’t have business cards. They are key to making an impact when networking and you don’t need anything fancy. Just have something that you can hand out.

Consider a card with an offer or invitation. I was once given a card that invited me to £20 off my next purchase with a code that I could pass on to my friends – very clever.

When planning to attend an event, think of which leaflets or menus could be relevant. Better still, do they have a goody bag you can contribute to?

Creating a LinkedIn profile is a must as it allows people to connect with you afterwards and easily look you up in the future. Building the profile of both your brand and yourself through social media is essential to raise the perception of how people view you.

2 Go with a result in mind

Before any networking, clarify your end goal. Having a clear idea of what you want helps to ensure you’re not wasting your time.

For example, if you’re going to an event, are you trying to get as many business cards as possible or get your menu in front of potential clients? If you’re talking to a local business, do you ultimately want to cross-refer customers or simply swap advice and ideas? Whatever your objective, if you go with a result in mind, you will stay focused and get better results.

3 Stay open to opportunities

Think of networking as creative marketing. I always network with a result in mind but understand that out of a networking activity something else might happen.

Usually, if you meet someone with the same mindset as yourself, you can be creative and spontaneous. I once met a manager of a clothes shop at an event, who had decided to put on a fashion show. We went on to create a lot of activities together within the community and had a lot of fun with it.

Keep an eye on what’s happening in the industry as much as your community because opportunities could come from either side.

4 Take time out

There are so many events you can attend and it’s important to plan them in for the year ahead, or at least for each quarter, otherwise you won’t find the time to attend. When networking works, it’s because we select the events we know are always relevant but also get out of our comfort zone by attending things we’ve never tried before.

Recently, I got involved in an initiative called Table Crowd, where participants meet over dinner. It was great fun and got me contacts I never would have met otherwise.

“ Whatever your objective, if you go with a result in mind, you will stay focused and get better results”

5 Build a contacts database

Keep a list of your contacts; even if they don’t immediately seem relevant, you never know when you might need them. Create a spreadsheet with name, title, company, phone number and email, then update it after every event you go to. This will help you create long-term contacts and keep track of how they impact your business.

It’s difficult to measure the success of networking in the short term but you never know how you are going to affect people around you and who might look you up in the future. Look at your networking plan regularly to stay focused.

Valerie Delforge is a spa and salon business consultant and delivers business training modules, at the London School of Beauty and Make up or via bespoke programmes for individual businesses. Her previous roles included head of spa operations for Steiner and general manager of L’Occitane UK.

valerie@delforge.co.uk