Positive networking skills.

In sales, networking is a necessary skill for finding new customers and making a variety of contacts. However, networking often has a bad reputation because: people do it just to make new contacts to collect names; they fail to make a personal connection when following up with these contacts;

Networking Takes Time And Patience

When we network, we have to learn to respect others' timetables. Of course, sometimes new contacts do not respond in a timely fashion. They may be busy with their own deadlines and have a lot of responsibilities, and therefore cannot immediately respond to you. So how can we move the networking process forward without "pushing" other people too hard?

If prospects do not call back after being given a great introduction or offer, avoid badgering them with demanding follow-up calls. These are the types of calls that try to disguise the real question: "I think it's time that my efforts to get some business out of you paid off," or "What's taking you so long to respond to me?" Being harsh or impersonal when calling others can do more harm than good.

These types of calls can best be avoided when earlier conversations include a couple of productive questions, such as, "What is the way you prefer to learn about new vendors?" or "What is the best way to present the product information?" You can help them move things forward and ultimately get the response you're looking for.

Rushing communications can become another networking stumbling block. This occurs when we hurry off the phone or send correspondence that is not carefully written. It tells the new contact you are trying to get through the process in a cold and mechanical way. Even when we have long lists of people to contact, it can take very little effort to develop a personalized approach. Here are three ways to do it:

* Ask the contact how he or she wants the issue to be handled. Some people prefer everything be done in writing, while others would rather receive a quick follow-up phone call or e-mail letting them know about new opportunities that can benefit them.

* Check on new contacts regularly. In sales, many people are told to quickly deal with people without having a long-term follow-up plan in place. Often the long-term follow-up is more important. Mark your calendar for the next significant date on your contacts' calendar. You can phone or e-mail them a month before new bids are sent out, or even mention you hope to connect with them at an upcoming trade show.

* Develop a networking game plan. New contacts often do not develop into anything important because there is no long-term plan in place. Keep a list of all contacts that is readily available. Using that list, develop a plan appropriate for all the contacts, and choose which ones will get unique treatment. For instance, you may see that effective follow-up with a contact may be looking for him or her at an upcoming business function, while another contact might appreciate a note with helpful information. Once you find out what is effective, build on what works and develop the skills you need, such as writing and speaking, to make meaningful connections with those important people.

Making Networking Practical

There are two main areas of focus when using positive networking tactics: how contacts are identified and appropriate follow-up.

-- Identifying Potential Contacts

Once you understand how to approach networking from a positive standpoint, you can use techniques that are specific for each of the following categories of contacts:

1. Satisfied customers. What better referral? They can be the best advocates because they know what you have to offer. You can ask them to introduce you to other people. Most importantly, thank them with a personal note or phone call.

2. Friends. We work hard at building our friendships that include mutual trust. You can find out about your friends' work and help them. Then when the time is right, you can ask them for a referral.

3. Neighbors. Make the effort to strike up conversations with people in your building or neighborhood. You'll often find out you have common interests with them.

4. Happy, helpful people. These are the people all of us meet by chance or connect with in unexpected ways. You can meet them on a plane, train or waiting in line at the movies. Life has a funny way of connecting us when we least expect it. We just have to be ready for the opportunity.

-- The Follow-Up Tactics

Effective networking is based on simple tactics. Here are seven rules of networking to live by:

1. Smile. A smile is a universal welcome sign. The people we meet for the first time will appreciate our warmth.

2. Look the person in the eye. It's a compliment to look at someone. It's a way to connect with someone new in the shortest time possible.

3. Listen. One of the greatest compliments we can give other people is to let them know we are listening to them. Remember, when we are networking with new contacts, it's like reading the paper. Let people tell their stories so we can discover the "news we can use.

4. Body language. First impressions are lasting ones. Monitor expressions. Sometimes, we need to loosen up because meeting new people can make us tense.

5. Avoid being pushy. Be careful of coming on too strong or needy. Even if we just lost our job, avoid having new people think we are desperate.

6. Give genuine compliments. Yes, even with new contacts, a compliment might be appropriate. When we listen to people carefully, often they will mention something they are proud of. We need to think for a moment and find a way to sincerely acknowledge others' achievements.

7. Business cards are golden. Ask for people's cards. However, one rule is to only offer ours when requested. When we do get their cards, we should treat them as fine treasures and give them the most respect.

Networking is a process, one that can create business connections to last a lifetime. As someone who works in sales, you are constantly developing, building and cultivating relationships that can give you results beyond your expectations.

Power Of Three Personal Communications In Networking

"The power of three" consists of writing a follow-up note to three contacts a day. The United States Postal Service tells us only 4 percent of the mail is personalized. Therefore, sending notes will put your company ahead of 96 percent of the competition. Here are some good examples where personal notes work particularly well:

* "Heard Something Good about You." If you hear about someone's personal achievement or if you read something positive about their company, that provides a good opportunity to send a note.

* "Give-a-way information." If you participate in a chamber of commerce, invite a contact to join you as your guest for a special program by sending a note with a copy of the event.

* "Gone, yet not forgotten." Even if your contacts have clearly stated they are not interested right now in communicating with you, a follow-up note offering some valuable information is a good way to keep current and potential customers aware of your company.

TAS

Andrea Nierenberg is the author of Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career (Capital Books). Ms. Nierenberg works with leading companies to improve interpersonal communications for management and staff. She offers keynote addresses and custom-designed programs on motivational techniques, networking tactics, and presentation skills. To contact Andrea Nierenberg, write to The Nierenberg Group, 420 E. 51st Street, Suite 12D, New York, NY 10022. She can be reached at 888-605-5911 or at andrean@selfmarketing.com.