Prepare to do business
It's very tempting to go straight out into
the big business world before you are really ready, before
you have your business cards printed, before you've
configured your LinkedIn
profile, while your web space
still states "under construction" and before you've thought about how you will present
yourself.
However how you appear and behave will
impact upon your reputation and therefore your ability to
do business with networking colleagues. Just as we judge people
on what they wear and how they speak, so
people will make judgements about your capabilities based on
their first impressions. You will
need to be properly prepared.
At many business networking events you
will be expected to give a short presentation of your
business - around two minutes should be sufficient, maybe
less. So be prepared. Write a short account and then work on it
and hone it down until it says precisely what you have to
offer, what your unique selling proposition is (USP) and
what are the benefits of buying your goods or services.
Practise in front of a mirror and time yourself - lose
those nerves and ensure that you give a presentation which
is full of the confidence. You might also write a
short sentence or phrase that is
catchy and memorable and which - if your audience remembers nothing
else about the networking event - will strike a a chord and ensure they remember
you.
Make sure you have some business cards with you - these
are essential at any networking event. Log into LinkedIn
and complete your own profile and, if it's your own
business, a company page too.
You really should have a web site. It doesn't have
to be complicated - just a couple of content-rich pages
will do.
Ensure that you have submitted your business details to
all local listings web sites and directories - see useful
links.
Have everything prepared first so that when you start to
make contacts you feel confident and your business networking
will be a success.
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