The Power of Business Networking

The Power of Business Networking!!!

Sharon Crost!

Affiliate Professor Grenoble

Graduate School of

Business!

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

What’s more important, what you know or who you know? Over 44% of small business decision makers are using social networks to extract information about other businesses according to SocialMediaToday. Are you present or are you invisible?!!This workshop is designed for the following learning outcomes: !•  Improve your personal and business social capital and influence!•  Increase the value of your online presence!•  Immediately apply techniques to your professional networking !!Key topics include:!•  Building your influence!•  Your networking style (exercise)!•  Taking action for your business!!Upon completion of the workshop, students will possess new techniques to build a powerful online and traditional network and use this network to boost company success.!!The workshop is facilitated by Sharon Crost, an affiliate professor with the Grenoble Graduate School of Business and Social Business Manager with Hitachi Data Systems !!!!!!!!

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1.  Improve personal / business social capital and influence!2.  Increase the value of your online presence!3.  Immediately apply techniques to boost your business networking results!!

AGENDA

1.  10:00-10:30 Welcome, The Secrets of Networking !2.  10:30-11:00 Building your Networking Capital!3.  11:00-11:30 Networking Exercise!4.  11:30-11:45 Building your Influence!5.  11:45-12:15 Taking action for you and your business!6.  12:15-12:30 Questions and Answers!

26 February 2014 10h00-12h30

ABOUT SHARON CROST

As an enthusiastic business professional and educator, Sharon specializes in new strategies, tools and techniques to help businesses thrive in the online and social world. Sharon has spent the last three years in the U.S. leading Hitachi Data Systems’ social business-- generating leads and developing loyal customer communities. !!She has won a gold award from the IT Services Marketing Association for excellence in social media marketing and was honoured as a Top 25 Digital Marketer in 2012 and 2013 by BtoB Online Magazine.!!Sharon has lectured at the Grenoble School of Business since 2001 on social media marketing, customer intelligence and consulting strategies for graduate students, Executive MBAs and business executives from all major continents and has presented at prestigious conferences including Search Engine Strategies in New York , Marketing Now in New Zealand B2B Digital Edge and Blogwell. With dual EU/American qualifications, Sharon is currently based in San Francisco.!!

Sources: 2, 3. !Vite Survey (US), http://recruiting.jobvite.com/images/survey_infograph-2012.png (accessed 8 September 2012 4. CareerBuilder.com 2012 Survey http://cb.com/UBp78K (accessed 8 September 2012) Picture Source: http://takingnote.learningmatters.tv/?p=5629 (accessed 23 October 2012)!!

92% !of US recruiters have embraced social

networks as part of their strategy (2)!

73 % !of recruiters have hired through social

networks (3)!

More people know where their

mobile phone is right now, than they know the

whereabouts of their wife or kids!

Digital natives are more comfortable online!

Networking is happening all the time (whether you know it

or not)!

Networking is an essential part of building wealth.!

- Armstrong Williams !

People buy from People (they know

and like)!

You CAN’T influence if you are not in the conversation!

29% OF RECRUITERS FOUND SOMETHING ONLINE THAT LED THEM TO HIRE A CANDIDATE

•  Good feel for candidate’s personality – 58 percent!•  Conveyed a professional image –55 percent!•  Background information supported professional qualifications – 54

percent!•  Well-rounded, showed a wide range of interests – 51 percent!•  Great communication skills – 49 percent!•  Candidate was creative – 44 percent!•  Other people posted great references about the candidate – 34 percent!

Source: . CareerBuilder.com 2012 Survey http://cb.com/UBp78K (accessed 8 September 2012)! !

EXPECTED TO BE FOUND"

MY STORY

36,000€!

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 !

150,000€!3000€! 6000€! 100,000€!

NETWORKING AS A PRIORITY?

•  What are your top concerns about spending time business networking?!•  About how much time on average do you spend a month networking?!•  What do you feel would make you more successful in your networking

activities?!

WHY BUSINESS NETWORKING?

•  Find business partners!•  Develop business

opportunities!•  Find employees/

employers!•  Develop connections!•  Help others!

THREE PRINCIPLES

ALL ABOUT YOU (Vous)!!

ALL ABOUT ME (Moi)!!

ALL ABOUT US (Nous)!

ALL ABOUT YOU

Listen!Acknowledge!

Paraphrase!Summarize!

ALL ABOUT ME

Have a plan!Know yourself and your “ask”!

Be visible!Develop your “brand” reputation!

ALL ABOUT US

Connect (face-to-face and online)!Add value!Follow up!

THE DATING GAME

Two Volunteers!!

ALL ABOUT YOU (VOUS)!

ACTIVE LISTENING

•  Listening with intention!•  Ask questions to assess the communicator’s needs!•  Take notes on business card !•  Paraphrase!•  Respect communicator!•  Desire to understand (vs. agree)!•  Open/non-critical!•  Note follow-up questions!•  Resist the temptation to talk talk talk!

GROWING STRONGER EARS

•  Why are you here?!•  What are your needs?!•  How can I help?!

ALL ABOUT ME!

WHO AM I?

Who in this room already has an online brand?!

WHO AM I?

YOU ALREADY

HAVE A BRAND!

Source: David Armano http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2008/06/brand-stairway.html?cid=117467004#comment-117467004!!

YOUR BRAND

WHO AM I?

Google Yourself!!

Are you solid or invisible?!

!

Are YOU impressed by what you see?!

!

BEST PRACTICE – JOHN ANTONIOS

Grenoble Graduate School Student – Invisible a few years ago…!

WHO AM I?

Aspirations!

Unique Skills!

Values!

YOUR SWOT"Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

!Strengths: What are your strengths?!What do others feel our your strengths?!What are your unique talents?!What is easy for you to do vis-à-vis your peers?!!Weaknesses: What are your weaknesses?!What do others feel our your weaknesses?!What tasks make you uncomfortable?!What takes longer for you to accomplish than your peers?!!

!

!Opportunities: What are your opportunities?!What projects do you think would be fun to

accomplish?!What are trends in your industry?!! Threats: What threats are in your way?!What risks are you taking that could have a high

impact?!What weaknesses could impact your goals?!!!

YOUR SWOT"Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Strengths! Weaknesses!

Opportunities! Threats!

YOUR ONLINE PROFILE

PROFILE TIPS

1.  Keep your profile updated!1.  Photo!2.  Job results (not just titles)!

2.  Endorse others!3.  Ask for recommendations!4.  Congratulate, Comment, Share other’s

activity!5.  Send emails with news and value-added

content!6.  Get your branded URL (if you haven’t yet)!7.  Participate in Groups !

!

LinkedIn: The Rules!

Donts •  Don’t use it for mass-marketing!•  Don’t use it to spam group users!

Dos •  Do use it to show off expertise!•  Do use it to raise brand awareness!•  Do use it to build thought leadership !•  Do use it to build your personal brand (…and thus your corporate brand)!•  Do set goals and a strategy (membership over a quarter, relationships built, connections made, etc)!•  Do be careful of how company recruiters use it / use your groups!

LINKEDIN GUIDELINES

NETWORKING YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS?

•  Opinions are your own!

•  Be human!•  Speaking ABOUT

your company’s business!

•  Disclose your company!

•  Speaking ON BEHALF of your company!

•  Official representative / spokesperson for your business!

•  Your content is reviewed / vetted by your company!

•  Keep your private information private!

YOUR BUSINESS! PRIVATE!PROFESSIONAL!

ALL ABOUT US

How many chances do you get to make a first impression?!!

?!

YOUR PERFECT OPPORTUNITY

What kind of opportunity are you looking for? !Customers, Employees, Partners, Services, Resellers, Markets,

Advocates, Influencers, Projects, Innovation, Connectors?!!

YOUR PERFECT OPPORTUNITY

How many of you will shop before you buy?!!

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU SHOP?

Great company / brand!Quality!

Innovation!Technology!

Design!Warranty!Support!

Longer term relationship!People you like!

Product features/functions!Satisfaction / return!

Ease of doing business!!

HOW TO SHOP ONLINE

1.  Search online for types of people/opportunities that look interesting!

2.  Look at endorsements and ratings and comments in groups and online resources (LinkedIn or Glass Door for example)!

3.  Look at the “About” or profile!4.  Connect to people that are in your area and ask them

about their work !!

MAKING “US” MATTER

1.  Frame the conversation in the terms of “we, us, together, collaborative, joint opportunity”!

2.  Provide ideas and alternatives!3.  Follow-up eMail, phone, LinkedIn!

NETWORKING WORKSHOP!

Do NOT Drink the Solution!

NETWORK…

Discuss your career goals – when you agree on a way to help your contact, share your “business card solution”…!!

YOUR STYLE

Direct Directly to business, identify targets, firm handshake, move on quickly if goals aren’t met!

Connector Appreciate connections, likely to follow up, likely to schedule a 1:1 dinner/conversation, want to make sure all are comfortable!

Outgoing Enjoys meeting people, sociable, may want to meet everyone, many “friends”, may end up with a lot of business cards!

Analytical Sit back and watch, approach cautiously, generally dislike networking as waste of time, may grab business cards but connect later by email!

YOUR STYLE

Direct Annoy people, people stay away!!Listen to others, take a moment to breathe!

Connector Gets moved out of the conversation!!Follow-up to get value from the connections!

Outgoing Miss networking with right people.!!Have a plan, know what you want!

Analytical Avoid or stay invisible!!!Build a list of questions to ask, analyze responses!

WHICH STYLE?

Source: http://lerablog.org/business/marketing-business/communication/can-your-business-benefit-from-networking-events/ Accessed Jan 2014 !

PHYSICAL POSITION

Near the registration!In front of the food table!With your colleagues!Aside with an interesting connection!!!

BUSINESS NETWORKING

Image Credit: http://thesnapper.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Networking.jpg!

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

•  Word of Mouth!•  Friends/Business/Personal Contacts!•  Associations/Forums!•  Your marketing tools: !•  CV/Resumé!•  Website, blog!•  Social networks!•  marketing material!•  success stories!•  references!

Page 49

•  LinkedIn !•  Facebook!•  Twitter!•  Blogs!•  Press Relations!•  Local country networks!•  Email blasts!

ELECTRONIC NETWORKING TOOLS

Advantages •  Keep in contact!•  Find people/opportunities!•  External validation!•  Keywords, industries!•  Contacts find you!•  Access to hiring companies!

Disadvantages •  Spam/unwanted contact!•  Profile is fixed!•  Your information may be

re-posted!•  Recruiters find you!•  Identity theft!

ELECTRONIC NETWORKING TOOLS

Page 51

•  Etiquette for making contact!•  Etiquette for networking!•  Etiquette for follow-up!

PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE

REMEMBER YOUR NETWORKING GOALS

•  DISCOVER – open to opportunities, explore ideas!•  SEEK – search out specific opportunities!•  COLLECT – gather all opportunities!•  DEVELOP – boost current or nurture new relationships!

HOW TO NETWORK WITH INFLUENCE!

HOW TO NETWORK WITH INFLUENCE

Are you passing time or investing time in networking?!

!

YOUR PERSONAL CULTURE / GUIDELINES

!1.  How do people in your country / language

behave online?!2.  When will you give / ask for a

recommendation?!3.  Who will you like / friend?!4.  What are your communication ethics?!!

YOUR PERSONAL CULTURE / GUIDELINES

My Style and Culture Guidelines!“Publish in social media as I would like to others to publish to me”!No spam!Respect time!Respect confidentiality preferences and requests of others!Promote others in a healthy ratio with promoting myself!Allow others to comment in my content, particularly opinions on all sides of the debate. Take off topic or spam comments offline!!Selecting connections!Facebook : personal friends and limited professional friends!LinkedIn: personal and professional friends, connect to all except spammers (note also see my LinkedIn recommendation guidelines for more info on this)!Twitter: connect to most, except bots/spammers, off topic!!Content creation writing style!Informative!Humorous!Casual!Organized!

STEPS TO INFLUENCE

Listen!Like!

Comment!Share!

Create! Engage!

Amplify!

1. LISTEN

How much time do you spend listening?!

Listening Post

Use RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds and APIs (Application Programming Interface) to automate your listening post!

Your Online Dashboard

Examples: Flipboard, Feedly, HootSuite, Netvibes, Pulse!

Listen

!1.  Set up a Twitter account!2.  Set up a listening post (TweetDeck, HootSuite)!

Twitter!Blogs!Forums!Groups!

3.  Google Alerts (Alerts.Google.Com)!4.  Search for interesting topics!5.  Search for influential people!6.  TAKE TIME TO LISTEN!!

2. LIKE

Who are your heroes?!

Your Online Influences

List at least 5 of your online influencers!!1!2!3!4!5!!

List at least 5 of your key topics!!1!2!3!4!5!!

Start Liking!

3. COMMENT

Do you have opinions?!

Comment

!The “Like” is binary – yes or nothing!!Comment adds value!

1.  Start by thanking!2.  Move to adding opinions!3.  Positive versus Negative ratio. !

!

4. SHARE

Can making others successful make you successful?!

Share

!1.  Learn to embed (embed code)!2.  Learn to create a small URL (bit.ly, ow.ly)!3.  Learn to attribute content creators!!

5. CREATE

!

How many of you can tell a story?!

!

Content Excellence

Audience! &Interesting for your influencers and topics!

&Ask your audience for feedback!

Real !&Be genuine – no need for marketing!

Timing! Not too much, not too little! Frequent, Recent, Timely!

Telling your Story is ART!

Thought Leadership Strategy

1.  Define your editorial strategy!2.  Plan your content!

!!

 ! Week 25! ! Facebook! LinkedIn! Twitter! Blog!Marketing Strategy!  !  ! X!  !Relationship Building! X!  !  ! X!Health Care Industry!  ! X! X!  !

Create

!1.  Proprietary Content!

1.  Comments!2.  Point of View!3.  Interview!4.  Video!5.  Story!

2.  Post on somebody else’s network!3.  Post on your network!!

6. ENGAGE

!

What is Spam?!!

Engage

!1.  Ask for feedback!2.  Create a survey!3.  Inspire a conversation!4.  Become part of a community!

7. AMPLIFY

!

Can you get a business opportunity while you sleep?!!

AMPLIFY

•  Publish blog !•  Articles / thought

leadership!•  Videos!•  Publish results!•  Answers / Forums!!

•  Comment on news and opportunities!

•  Send qualifications to contacts!

•  Discussions /Interviews!•  Send messages to

contacts /CV to recruiter!

!

•  Network!•  Keep in touch!•  Informational

Interviews!•  Forums!•  Groups!!

PUSH PULL

OPTIMIZING !(Search Engine Optimization SEO)!

1.  Decide upon a permanent name/brand!2.  Select your top 10 Skills/attributes/interests – these are

YOUR keywords!3.  Prioritize them!4.  Always add these keywords to your content, your

descriptions and as your keyword tags!5.  Check out Google’s search engine starter guide

http://bit.ly/TQwOW3!

!

PRACTICE

Listen!Like!

Comment!Share!

Create! Engage!

Amplify!

USE CASES!

USE CASE #1 COMFORTABLE QUESTIONS

Can you give me advice (ideas) about ….?!Who are some of the people you feel are excelling at ….?!What would be your concern if I …..?!!!!

USE CASE #2 REMOTE NETWORKING

You have been given contact information or you have received a business card from someone, what do you say in a written message or phone call?!!!

USE CASE #2 REMOTE NETWORKING

All about you!!All about me!!All about us!!!

USE CASE #3 - FOLLOWUP

Two months ago you attended a meeting where you collected several business cards. You followed up with the key contacts by sending an email and a connection in LinkedIn and Viadeo. What do you do now?!!!!

USE CASE #3 - FOLLOWUP

I thought you might be interested in…!! Collated content! Business opportunity!!!!!

USE CASE #4 – ACTION FOR MY BUSINESS

I want to develop my reputation associated with my business. How do I make an impression without just being a sales person?!!!!!

USE CASE #4 – ACTION FOR MY BUSINESS

Develop thought leadership!•  LinkedIn Groups acivity!•  Point of View statement!•  Blog post!•  Collated articles!•  Collaborative publication!•  Presentations!•  SlideShare.Net!!!!!!

SUMMARY!

1.  Improve the power of your business networking!

> All about YOU, ME, US! Know your desired OPPORTUNITY!

2.  Increase the value of your online presence !

>…by being VISIBLE 3.  Grow your influence!

> By adding VALUE 4. Immediately apply techniques to develop or improve your networking!

> INVEST time online!!

NEXT STEPS

1.  Commit to YOU – You own you Update your profile!

2.  Tell your story with ART Publish your key content!

3.  Make the most of the time you INVEST Start by listening, move up the time chain

4.  Get yourself known Be visible as an expert in your chosen field!

5.  Follow up! Nurture your relationships!

!!

!!!

REFERENCES

Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, Feb 2012!

10 Networking Tips for People who Hate Networking: http://money.howstuffworks.com/business/professional-development/10-networking-tips-people-hate-networking.htm!!(French) Le networking pour les nuls: 10 astuces http://www.references.be/article/le-networking-pour-les-nuls-10-astuces!!!

Good Luck!!Sharon Crost!sharon@socialmediaalive.com!Twitter @mktwow!

REFERENCES

ClickZ.Asia social media statistics, http://www.clickz.asia/5785/how_to_manage_social_media_campaigns_in_asia (accessed 8 September 2012)!!Careerenlightenment.com Infographic , Pubished on mashable.com (accessed 8 September 2012)http://mashable.com/2011/08/28/social-media-recruiting-infographic/!!!JobVite 2012 Social Recruiting Survey: Infographichttp://recruiting.jobvite.com/images/survey_infograph-2012.png!!CareerBuilder.com 2012 Survey on recruiters researching candidates using social media. (US Study) http://cb.com/UBp78K (accessed 8 September 2012)!!Gizmodo Social Media Background Check http://gizmodo.com/5818774/this-is-a-social-media-background-check (accessed 8 September 2012)!!Google Search Engine Starter Guide!http://bit.ly/TQwOW3!!!