Networking can be an amazing prospecting tool. But in order to make it work for you, you need to make sure you’re listening more than talking. So how do you get people to open up?
In today’s video, we’re going to talk about some of the best questions to ask to figure out if the person you’re talking to is the right person to keep talking to.
I’ve been in business for about 20 years now, and in that time I’ve done a LOT of networking.
I’ve been to some great events. I’ve also been to more than a few pretty bad events. And I’ve been to PLENTY that were…just ok…
What made the difference?
The people.
The great events had great people that were great to talk to, and were actually worth following up with.
The bad events…well, they were the opposite.
The mediocre ones…well, you get the point…
Obviously, you can’t decide who shows up to an event that you go to. The only thing you do get to choose is how you interact with them and which events you go back to.
So what are the questions that you should be asking the people that you meet at a networking event?
What Are the Questions?
- What do you do?
- Who do you work with?
- What sets you apart?
- How do you typically find your business?
- What other events have you found valuable?
What Next?
Once you have the answers to all of these questions, you should have a pretty good sense of whether or not the person you’re talking to is someone that you should be connecting with after the event.
To give you a sense, I typically try to make my conversations last about five minutes or so. And don’t be afraid to pull the ripcord if you realize that person isn’t someone you want to continue the conversation with.
Remember, you have a goal with your networking efforts, it’s not just a happy hour. Don’t waste your time with someone who’s not going to help you reach that goal.
And one last tip before I leave you – if you realize that the person you’re talking to IS someone that you want to connect with again after the event, ASK IF THEY’D BE INTERESTED IN GETTING TOGETHER AGAIN.
That way, you know who you should be connecting with and you can reference that part of the conversation and, ideally, get more follow up meetings.