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Foreword xv Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3
Part I: Getting Started with Business Networking 5
Chapter 1: Getting to Grips with Networking Basics 7 Understanding Business Networking 7 Starting with ''Why?'' 8 Noting the ''why'' of networking 9 Figuring out your ''why'' 10 Talking to Strangers (Ignore Your Parents'' Advice) 11 Knowing Who Uses Networking 12 Realising It''s Not All Funny Handshakes and Old Boys Clubs 15 Finding Networking Opportunities 15 Following Networking Guidelines 16 Networking in a Nutshell: Different Formats 17 Understanding unstructured networking meetings 17 Seeking out structured networking meetings 18 Networking formats you''re likely to encounter 18 Business networking and referral marketing - same difference? 19
Chapter 2: Exploring Different Aspects of Networking 23 Networking for the Employed 23 Building your skillset using networking 25 Meeting people in the same industry to swap ideas 27 Keeping up to date with trends in your industry 28 Meeting your next boss - career building and future proofing 28 Networking for the Business Owner 29 Promoting your business 29 Finding trusted suppliers: Real-life Google 31 Keeping up to date with trends in business 33 Creating your virtual team: The future of business 33 Networking as Marketing 34 Clarifying your marketing aims 35 Reaping the benefits of business networking 35 Networking Meets Social Media 36 Seeing the relevance 36 Making the most of social media 37
Chapter 3: Setting (Realistic) Expectations 39 Recognising Why You Need to Set Expectations 39 Thinking about what You Expect to Get Out of Networking 40 Coping with your first networking event 41 Knowing That Networking Isn''t Without Effort 42 Keeping track of your schedule 43 Being patient 44
Chapter 4: Making Use of Networking Organisations 47 Finding the Right Organisation for You 48 Start locally 49 Match your business to the prospect 49 Finding Independent Networking Clubs 50 Contacting your local chamber of commerce 51 Finding local independent networking groups 51 Joining Commercial Networking Organisations (in the UK) 52 4Networking 54 BNI 54 Business Scene 55 FSB 55 NRG 56 Women-only networking organisations 56 Coming across Co-working 56 Co-working hubs 57 KindredHQ 57 Regus 58 Specialist and Niche Networking Organisations and Groups 58 Understanding the Politics of Networking Groups 59 Running Your Own Networking Club 60 Remembering Why You Got Involved 62
Chapter 5: Networking at Trade Shows 65 Knowing What to Expect from a Trade Show 65 The Great British Business Show 66 The Welsh Business Shows 66 New Start Scotland 67 Finding Local and National Trade Shows 67 Making Your Trade Show Experience a Success 68 Networking at trade shows, big or small 69 Becoming
part of the crowd 70 Feeling the Need for Speed Networking 71 Doing something different 71 Following up 72
Part II: Face-to-face Networking 73
Chapter 6: Attending Networking Meetings 75 Finding Time to Network 75 Recognising that networking is real work 76 Networking to suit you and your business 77 Using your time twice 78 Deciding What to Wear and What to Take with You 79 Making sure that you understand the dress code 79 Thinking about the impression you want to make 80 Being prepared with business cards - and plenty of them 81 Taking promotional material 81 Knowing What Time to Arrive 82 Checking the meeting timings 82 Entering as an early bird or fashionably late? 82 Calming Your Nerves 83 Knowing why your nerves may be your biggest asset 85 Keeping on top of first-time jitters 86 Managing your nerves and appearing confident 87 Knowing what time to go home 89
Chapter 7: Making Connections in Open Networking 91 Understanding Open Networking 91 Introducing Yourself to People You Don''t Know 92 Recognising that everyone''s in the same boat 92 Choosing who to approach 93 Making an Impression 95 The handshake 96 Starting a conversation 98 Answering ''So, what do you do?'' 100
Chapter 8: Nailing the Introductions Round 103 Getting the Scoop on the Introductions Round 103 Remembering that you''re trying to get the interview, not the job 105 Avoiding the elevator pitch error 105 Standing Out from the Crowd 107 Preparation, preparation, preparation 107 Think about what they might be buying, not what you''re selling 108 Using soundbites 109 Using props 110 Understanding body language 111 Can you hear me? 114 Injecting your introduction with passion and confidence 116 Rules to Follow and Things to Avoid 116 Introducing Sample Templates for Your Introduction 117 The attention grabber 118 The third-party endorsement 122 Remembering What You Planned to Say 125
Chapter 9: Handling One-to-Ones 127 Getting the Scoop on One-to-Ones 127 Having a one-to-one with everyone 128 Getting the Most from One-to-Ones 129 Where to have a one-to-one 129 When to have a one-to-one 130 Asking open questions 132 Are you listening or waiting for your turn to speak? 134 Making notes to follow up with 134 Taking notes like a pro 135 Knowing What to Do After the Meeting 136
Chapter 10: Breezing Through the Ten-Minute Speaker Slot 137 Recognising the Opportunity 137 Reaping the benefits 139 Understanding stock value 140 Planning and Preparing 140 Looking at Different Networks, Different Opportunities, Different Approaches 141 Using ten minutes to talk about your business 141 Using ten minutes not to talk about your business 145 Structuring Your Presentation 151 Questions and answers 151 Checking your timings 152 Coping when the day comes 152
Chapter 11: Following Up 155 Following Up to Win 155 Ouch! Dealing with Your Piles 156 Making the most of business cards 157 Using CRM systems 160 Evaluating email marketing software 161 Following Up Successfully 162 Thinking about your follow up 163 Being creative 164 Reminding People about Your Business 166 Asking for business 166 Asking for referrals 168
Part III: Networking Online and Using Social Media 171
Chapter 12: Networking Online 173 Introducing Online Networking 174 Finding Business Networking Forums 175 Joining an Online Community 175 Becoming
Part of Any Community 178 Advertising is Okay (Sometimes) 179 Calling First Means That You Often Get the Job 180 Establishing Yourself as the ''Go-To Guy'' in the Community 181
Chapter 13: Using Social Media to Keep Relationships Alive 183 Venturing into Social Media 183 Realising that the times, they are a-changing 184 Entering social media 185 Winning Friends and Influencing People 185 Finding common ground 186 Forming meaningful relationships 186 Going local, regional, national or international 187 Joining in other people''s conversations 188 Staying in Your Contacts'' Field of Vision 189 Going beyond: Following up with social media 190 Thinking business? Think personal as well 192 Spotting easy referral opportunities 196 Getting Maximum Value from Blogging by Hardly Writing a Word 196 Curating information about your industry or profession 198 Remembering it''s about conversation not content 199
Chapter 14: Networking Using Different Social Media Platforms 203 Choosing the Right Platform for Your Business 203 Twitter 204 Facebook 207 LinkedIn 208 Google+ 209 Blogs 210 Instagram 210 Vine 211 Foursquare 211 Pinterest 212 Taking the Next Steps in Social Media 212
Chapter 15: Joining Up Your Online and Offline Networking 215 Acknowledging that People are People - However You Connect 215 Finding Your Strongest Connections 217 Meeting People Before You Meet Them 219 Researching your prospects 220 Listening online, then speaking on the phone 221
Part IV: Turbo-charging Your Networking 225
Chapter 16: Using Networking to Build Your Business 227 Standing Out in Networking 227 Putting in the effort 228 Remembering that networking isn''t easy 229 Engaging your brain and engaging your network 230 Finding better ways to advertise than shouting to strangers 231 Boosting Your Business with Personal Branding 233 Learning from Evian''s posh bottles 234 Being a product of the product 236 Using Networking as an Excuse 238 Getting to your ideal prospects using networking 238 Using networking for businesses that can''t cold call 240
Chapter 17: Building Networking into Your Business Strategy 241 Circles Within Circles: It Isn''t Ju