Do you think networking takes place only at so-called networking events? You know those forced get-togethers where most people play the business card derby – how many of yours can you give out and/or how many of others can you collect. The fact is, that’s one of the least effective forms of networking.
Here’s an extremely effective networking tool that you’ll be able to use every day in many situations that will absolutely improve your networking skills – It’s the answer to the question “So what do you do?”
In many cases, you have about 10 seconds to respond with your “one-liner.”
Some people blow it here by simply saying something like “I’m a mortgage broker, or I’m an insurance agent, or my favorite – I’m a consultant.”
A wasted opportunity…
The better practice is not just to tell people what you do, but to tell them why what you do matters to the people you serve.
In other words, describe what you do in a way that highlights the benefits your clients receive when you do it.
For example, an insurance agent might say “I help people assess the risks they encounter in their daily lives, and I help them achieve peace of mind by protecting against those risks, I’m an insurance agent”.
What that does is paint a vivid picture of why someone would want to do business with you.
It also helps the person you’re talking to better visualize who would be a good referral for you.
Michael Shapiro – E Group Partners, Inc.
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