I attended my first Business Women’s Network event at Joseph’s Kitchen Cafe in Billericay yesterday.
Nick Looby of Feet on the Ground training was the keynote, and gave a really insightful masterclass on effective networking.
It struck me that he and I talk the same language…and have one very similar pet hate.
Narcissistic businesses.
In his keynote Nick adeptly described the ‘networker’ who powers through the room distributing business cards at a rate of knots. This type of business owner is missing the point. Networking is just that. It’s not advertising, or direct marketing, or pay per click.
At that moment in Nick’s keynote (as I sipped my rather delicious coffee…I’ll be back to that cafe!) I was reminded of the many self-indulgent firms I’ve sadly come across in my time…guilty of rather too much excessive contemplation, at the expense of a wider view.
Telling your business story is not simply a case of press ganging your audience into listening to what you have to say.
It’s about taking the time to listen and get to know your target audience.
Then, crafting a story that they WANT to hear.
So, before you visit your next networking event, or write another blog for your website, or create a press release announcing a new product launch, STOP.
Ask yourself why the person you are pitching to will care about what you have to say.
By doing this (instead of being primarily concerned about what we want the person on the receiving end to do next—give us his card, invest, make an introduction and on and on) it is far more likely that what our audience hears will really make an impression.
Jill x
P.S Big thanks to Jenny of PA Angels who organised the networking event. I met some great local business women and will most certainly be back.
