In order to effectively network, you need people to introduce you to others in their network. This is how you can expand your sphere of influence – meeting and connecting with more new people, through the help of the people you already know.
How can you make this happen? You need to think more like Google and include some keywords in your networking conversation. In this way you will trigger the natural connections in other people’s brains. The key is to be specific, rather than vague, in what you do and who you are looking to meet next.
If you are too vague in your description of what you do, then you may be making it more difficult for others to make the logical connections in their heads as to who you should meet next.
Here is an example of how you might move from vague to specific in your networking introduction (download a free 15-page workbook on how to improve your elevator pitch)
- too vague: “I help companies increase productivity.”
- more specific: “I help companies increase productivity by raising employee engagement levels.”
- even more specific: “Do you know anyone who actually enjoys receiving their annual review? I believe that the traditional performance appraisal process is broken and is actually damaging employee engagement levels. I have created a new process that can increase employee engagement and boost productivity levels. I am looking to connect with HR Professionals and Business Executives who are open to making the annual review process work better for their companies and their people.”
What are the keywords in these three examples?
- boost productivity levels, increase employee engagement, performance appraisal process, HR Professionals, Business Executives, annual review process, process is broken, damaging employee engagement levels
These keywords and phrases are the trigger points in your networking conversation that help people think of good connections for you.
How it worked for me recently…
I attended a meeting of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Speakers Association last week. There were four people on the panel sharing their experiences and answering our many questions. It was a good exchange.
One panelist (whom I have networked with before) shared with the audience more specific information on a special project that he was working on. He seemed very passionate about it and he held my attention. He specifically mentioned overhauling the traditional annual performance review process. He also mentioned that he speaks on the topic of customer service and works with Quality Review associations around the country as a consultant.
These keywords (underlined above) immediately triggered two possible connections for him, including something that I had a networking breakfast week two weeks earlier (also interested in improving how
we do annual performance appraisals) and a woman who works for a Quality Review Association and is looking for speakers for their fall conference.
- Are you curious about whom I’m speaking about? His name is Dr. Wally Hauck and he is on a mission to teach leaders at all levels how to create engaged employees. Wally is the most approachable Ph.D. expert you’ll ever meet. (read his bio)
Moving from thought to action…
The next morning, I reached out to Wally, and told him about the upcoming conference. He was very interested. I asked him more questions so that I could properly position him to the committee head who I had been speaking with. I am being considered as a speaker for this conference as well.
Now you may be thinking, why on earth would I create competition for myself? What if they hired him instead of me? That scarcity thought ran through my head for a nano-second. Then I remembered the big picture of networking – creating mutually-beneficial relationships before you need them. I smiled when I thought about the spirit of networking: helping others and asking for help.
Of course, I wanted to help my professional colleague and networking friend. AND… I would bringing even greater value to the conference organizers by introducing them to qualified people that could make their conference even more successful. It could be a win-win-win!
Now, I took the next step by acting on this prompting and intention. I called my contact on the conference committee and left her a voice mail telling her about my professional colleague, Wally Hauck and why she might want to connect with him. I then sent an email telling her more about his brand and area of expertise and providing his full contact information.
The result of this referral is to be determined, but it is clear to me that the opportunity was prompted by the inclusion of helpful keywords during the panel discussion.
Your networking GOAL for this week:
Help people to make more meaningful connections for you by including more specific information about what you are working on, what you are passionate about, and with whom you are looking to connect with. Don’t allow yourself be so vague and conceptual that people can’t hook on to what you are saying or what you are needing. People want to help you. Help them help you by giving them some specific keywords to trigger the natural connections between people and ideas. That is what is supposed to happen in networking – connecting and creating opportunity for yourself and others. Think and act like Google.
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