10 Networking Commandments

[Dan Auito]

10 Commandments of Networking a Mixer

1. Have your Networking tools with you at all times - business cards, BNI card file, nametag, pen, referral slips, foldover invite cards
2. Set a goal for the number of people you'll meet. Make it a reasonable number, 3 or 5, not 20.
3. Act like a host, not a guest. Greet people as they arrive. Select people that belong in your contact sphere with whom to spend more time.
4. Listen and ask the 5 Ws - who what where why when. You have two ears and one mouth, use them proportionally.
5. Give a referral whenever possible. Listen for opportunities to solve people's problems by connecting them with your chapter members.
6. Describe your product or service in 60 seconds or less.
7. Exchange business cards with people you meet. Ask - can I contact you next week?
8. Spend 10 min. or less with each person you meet and don't linger with friends and associates. You didn't come here to socialize with people you already know!
9. Write comments on the back of the business cards you collect so you can remember the person later. Write their needs on the card - building a house, moving, back trouble, looking to build a new business.

And the most important step...

10. Follow up with the people you meet. Most people collect business cards and never do anything with them. Contact each of the 3 or 5 people that you connected with and invite them to your meeting. 'I'd like to introduce you to the 20/30/40/50 people who help me build my business.'

Have fun! This is a great opportunity to meet future clients, friends, and members!
http://www.bniwcf.com/images/pixel.gifCheck out www.bni.com (http://www.bni.com) for the full skinny gang, it's good stuff!:praise:

[AIR]

this is great advice... the first investor meeting I attended they took about 30 min. and made you spend 5 min. talking to 6 different people. At the time I thought "how stupid" and felt a little uncomfortable... but now looking back it makes a lot of sense. I met an investor in my area who is always looking to buy fixer uppers we exchanged cards...so if I buy a house and the rehab is over my head- guess who I am going to call.

[Dan Auito]

A lot of power rests in attending regularly and contributing or volunteering for positions to help the organization your in.
As time rolls on you'll find magical opportunities come as the by product of walking the talk and doing things for others with no immediate thought of return.

Cultivate long-term, volunteer, participate, sow and reap as the seasons change.

[gabe]

Dan,This is some good info.I will try it and let you know how I do.
gabe

[Dan Auito]

Very cool Gabe. Tell us what shakes out as a result.

[WannaNetwork]

These are some great tips, thanks for sharing :)

[Dan Auito]

Thanks for dropping in Tony!

[FL Beachgirl]

I am SO BAD at this ;(

I really dislike going to the meetings even though I know I should go anyway. I also have issues with the follow up part of it. If I don't have a specific reason to call within the next few days then I end up not doing it at all.
I can't yet afford the endless lunches etc that it takes for the "after" meetings and I don't have a lot of time to do them either...now if <I> don't have time, I can only imagine how little time the person I am wanting to sit with has.

No need to advise on how to solve these though, I know darn well what it takes...I just need to get over my "shyness" and get to it LOL.

Jen

[Dan Auito]

Jen the best way to get over being self conscious is to get your mind off of self. If you just focus on the other person and ask them questions about themselves it is literally impossible to think about yourself. You'll be amazed how you won't even think about yourself when you put the focus squarely on the other person and keep it there. Now get out there and try it. You'll like it and so will the people that you ask themselves about!