The Business Card: Your Networking Ally

Posted on 15/12/2015

Networking has been around for donkeys’ years. Mingling with like-minded people and sussing out potential partners has been around forever. The majority of networking opportunities end with an exchange of a business card, but this is where you need to kick things up a notch.

In the world of business, when it comes to relationships, trust is everything. If you don’t have trust, generally speaking, you won’t get too far. If you want to build trust in your networking circles, you must have patience.

4 Top Networking Tips

Effective business networking is the connecting of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another. Be a networking star from start to finish with our four top networking tips.

Listen twice as much and talk half as much

The business card is a must-have weapon in your networking arsenal. It reinforces your connection and helps it stand out from the others. When someone is speaking with you, give that person your complete focus. The thing about business cards is that if yours is not up to scratch, it will get lost amidst the clutter. It is absolutely crucial that yours is unique from the rest. To ensure that your personal brand is impressively represented, use a professional business card design company.

Aim for quality over quantity

Savvy networkers know exactly what they want to achieve from each event. When you have a plan, it is easier to stay focused and achieve your desired outcome. Whatever your plan, try to speak to a handful of people at length rather than every Tom, Dick and Harry. As we previously mentioned, networking is built on trust, which you’re not going to achieve out of the blue. Identify people that you can have meaningful conversations with. Building relationships requires effort, so be genuine in your interactions with others and, above all, don’t forget to exchange your business card.

Put on your happy face

As soon as you reach that door, leave your woes behind – this is your time to shine. People will genuinely look forward to seeing you and conversing with you if you are enthusiastic, positive and extroverted in your approach. It might sound obvious, but people enjoy doing business with people that they like. Try not to burden other people with your troubles as this will only leave a negative impression.

Follow up

Following up is the most neglected and under-utilised part of networking. Once you meet someone and exchange business cards, it is crucial that you follow up with them within the space of a week. This can simply be a quick ‘it was great to meet you’ email, message or call. Mark down in your diary to follow up again within two months for a cup of coffee or a bite to eat. Connecting through social networking platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter is also a great way to maintain, explore and grow professional relationships.

Don’t let later become never. Use these tips to grow your network and win potential leads for your business. And remember, it all started with the good old business card!