Coaching: Business networking and communication skills

Your success at networking and as a communicator depends on your ability to identify and adapt to a

variety of businesses and personal needs. Like any skill though, the more you practice the better you’ll

get at it.

This guide is intended to highlight some of the areas you can focus on before, during and after a

networking event.

Objective – help yourself out by knowing where you’re going

Decide your key objectives and the messages that support them, for you, your team and company

Are you looking to establish a closer working relationship with a particular person/company or is your

objective to sell?

Are you there to inform or be informed?

Must remember - things to consider when developing a pitch

What do you want from them?

What do they want from you?

What is your message?

What is your desired outcome?

What value would you bring to them?

What are they not looking for?

The Elevator Pitch - you only make a first impression once

The success of the pitch depends on what you say and how you deliver it.

These two elements go hand in hand. If you rely solely on what you say to carry you through, how you

deliver it may have your audience running for the door. Equally you may have all the right moves but may

be missing some content.

Language – must engage brain first

Too often when we’re under pressure we just open our mouths and talk, hoping that instinct will get us

through. Well, we survive but we don’t always leave the impression we intended. Using the right language

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is essential and requires time and effort to perfect. Start with the basics, nouns, verbs & adjectives; what

do you use most/least of? An effective exercise is to structure the pitch in writing and deliver it to

colleagues/friends/family asking for honest feedback. Do you come across as too “sales person”, too

“dry”? Remember to be natural; conversations are not scripted.

Behaviour – we can learn it, we can unlearn it

Reading other people’s behaviour and understanding how we appear to others is essential. Practice new

approaches on colleagues/friends/family or anyone who will give you a couple of minutes. Get feedback,

rework your pitch and try it again. Knowing what it feels like to be up to your neck in it is great; knowing

how to get yourself out of it is better. We all have the ability to communicate through Body Language,

Language and Tone of Voice; use them consciously as a skill.

Dress Codes – image is everything

This is your opening statement, people make judgements within seconds and what you look like will

leave a big impression, make sure it’s the right one.

Being comfortable and appropriately dressed will help you and the person you’re talking to feel at ease.

How much clutter are you juggling? Most of us need a hand to shake with, a card to offer and something

to write on and with. All the other bags, hats, computers, PDAs, phones, vol-au-vents etc. are better off

dealt with before or after an event.

Pre Event - plan your strategy (with colleagues if they are attending)

Get a copy of the delegate/guest list

Agree who you will target and why – being approached by numerous representatives from the same

organisation and asked the same questions will do more harm than good

Research – both the people and the companies they represent (long & short term company history) This

may indicate opportunities and challenges in their business and it shows you have taken an active

interest in their development

Practice more than one approach. Everyone is different and your success as a networker will be much

higher if you can understand and meet the needs of different types of people

Post event – notes to self

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Having done the hard work of making a positive impression, now the real work begins. The success of

your new found relationship/contact will depend on all your communication from now on, not just a

sound bite. If you fail to deliver this early on all your hard work is in vain.

Write enough information during the event for you to follow up on – you’ll be so focussed during the

event your memory may be having a nap

Write your action plan immediately after the event whilst it’s fresh – if you leave it two weeks you’ll

probably be making it up

Agree who is doing what and when with the follow-ups

Treat these contacts as gold dust. You now have a relationship with these people, nurture them and they

could become hugely valuable

Finally……you are allowed to enjoy it!

The confident, focussed, fun and relaxed you will always be more appealing

© Masterclass Training Ltd 2013. All Rights Reserved.