Business NetworkingThe art of building long-lasting relationships

Content

ü Introduction

ü WHAT are networking and professional relationships about?

ü WHY is networking important?

ü Takers, Matchers & GIVERS

ü TIPS on how to improve your networking skills

ü TOOLS you can use to be more efficient

ü Resources

ü Q&A & Discussion

About Me

The Right Things to Do

What Is Networking?

“It is the art of building long-lasting relationships with people who can help you grow both professionally

(business) and personally (mentorship).”

- Jan Smejkal

Why Is Networking Important?

It helps you:

ü Grow professionally & personally

ü Have more opportunities in life (i.e. getting a job)

ü Get things done faster & cheaper (i.e. Whoolala fundraising)

VALUE

Six Degrees of Separation

”Theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other

person in the world.”

But…

DEPTH trumps BREADTH

Deeper connection leads to a better introduction

What Is the Essence of Professional Relationship?

VALUE“Degree to which something is useful.”

Takers

“Believe in tit for tat, and your relationships are governed by even exchanges of favors.”

Matchers

“Help others strategically, when the benefits to you outweigh the personal costs.”

Givers“They tilt reciprocity in the other direction, preferring to give more than they get.”

What personality describes you the best?(be honest with yourself)

Ripple Effect of Success

Givers, takers, and matchers all can— and do— achieve success. But there’s something distinctive that happens when givers succeed:

“When takers win, there’s usually someone else who loses.”

“Givers succeed in a way that creates a ripple effect, enhancing the success of people around them.”

GIVE before you take…

&remember...

having the right connection is helpful, but the value must be there.

Networking Tips

ü Do NOT wait, start working on your network ASAP

- It takes time to build a relationship, it does NOT happen over night.

- “Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity and time.”

ü Be strategic

- It’s impossible to connect with everyone, choose the right people to connect with according to your professional aspiration & personal interests.

ü Serendipity

- Don’t underestimate the power of serendipity, because serendipity is where the magic happens.

- Be open and genuinely nice to other people.

- Try to actively reach out to people and let the serendipity “work for you.”

ü Prepare- Use social media & internet to learn more about people you wish to connect

with.

- Do NOT underestimate your personal pitch (make your elevator pitch interesting and relevant).

- Business cards.

ü Listen- All the great connectors listen more than they talk. Why? You can learn more

about the other person, connect the dots and figure out how you can provide VALUE.

ü Take notes- The more people you meet the more difficult it’s to remember what they tell you

and in what context.

ü Find a connector- Do you find it unnatural to approach many “strangers”?

- Enter any social situation from the top.

ü Arrive early

- Early arrival gives you the opportunity to better connect with the host, key attendees and keynote speakers.

ü Use the power of compliment

- Everyone likes to receive GENUINE compliment.

- Compliment only works if it’s genuine, otherwise it might be counterproductive.

ü Finnish on the high note

- Don’t exhaust the conversation. Finish on a high note.

- That way the person you just met will want to talk to you again.

- People sometimes tend to stand in the conversation too long.

- Avoid these “awkward” situations.

ü Remember the names

- It’s a must. Practice.

- Use association or other techniques to remember other people’s names.

ü Follow-up - Timely follow-up is a prerequisite for expanding your network.

- When adding people on LinkedIn or WeChat, invest 2 minutes and create that short introductory message.

ü Deliver on your promises- If you promise to do something, make a note and do so, promptly.

- If you fail to do so, your reputation is in danger.

ü Polish your social media profile- Photo.

- BIO, summary, interests, etc.

- Give other people the opportunity to learn more about in advance too.

ü Do NOT burn bridges- Do NOT let the ego affect your actions.

- You won’t connect with everyone and that’s OK. Don’t take it personally.

- NO today isn’t NO tomorrow.

Get Organized

5 + 50 + 150family / mastermind circle

friends, co-workers & business partners

broader network of people you wish to connect with (same

industry, interests, etc.)

Tools

ü Social media (LinkedIn, WeChat, Weibo, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

- Tags, favorites, comments, likes = engage to be seen!

ü CAM Card (iOS, Android, desktop)

ü SpreadsheetCRM (Google docs, but you can create your own)

- Dedicated list, reminders, etc.

ü Evernote / Scannable (notes, business card scanning, etc.)

Resources

ü Books

- Give & Take (Adam Grant)- Never Eat Alone (Keith Ferrazzi)- How to Become a Power Connector (Judy Robinett)- How To Make Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)

ü Articles

- These 5 Tips Will Trun You Into a Networking Pro (My blog)- Top 10 Networking Mistakes You Need to Avoid Making Now (SUG)- The Only Networking Rule You’ll Ever Need to Remember (Medium)- Givers vs. Takers (Wharton University)

The Only Thing to Remember

Thank you!谢谢

WeChat: SMEJKY

Twitter: @jsmejky

Blog: medium.com/@jsmejky

Website: jsmejkal.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jansmejkal8