Business Networking Sunshine Coast

Unless you are in the ice sculpture business, you should really get good at breaking the ice. Sure, when you are meeting someone at a business networking event, you could ask them, for the thousandth time that evening, “So, what do you do?”.

Event Socializing – Business Networking Sunshine Coast

The problem with asking the same question as everyone else is that you tend to melt into the blob of memory faces along with the others that asked that question. Do you want to be remembered as “You know, what’s their name, with the face?” or do you want to make such a good impression that the not only remember your name but know where they put our amazing business card? If you said the first one, you might want a professional to go over your business plan.

While you spend most of your life working, there is obviously more to you than that. You don’t want people to only remember you for what you do. This is the issue with opening with the “what do you do” question. It breaks a fully developed person into a category without adding their own personality into it.

There is no doubt knowing what the person does is important, especially at a Sunshine Coast business networking event, but perhaps there is a way to do it and be special. Spoiler alert there totally is. You could go way over the top and ask them something like “So, how do you make this a better world to live in?”. This might embarrass the person, especially if they don’t have an answer. If they don’t have an answer, you might have also given them an existential crisis that will keep them up at night wondering what the heck they are doing with their life.

Personally, I like to use “How do you change the world?” Because it’s asking the important question of “what do you do” but allows them to focus on their super heroics that maybe they don’t get to express often. People change the world for another person every day, allow their personality to come through. You’ll get the information you seek and make them feel better at the same time. Talk about a win-win.

One more important piece of advice. Have your own response to the same question. Seriously. It’s all good to know how to break the ice with others, but what if they break it with you first. Write down your answers, yes seriously, and read it to yourself a few times. Does it seem interesting? Is it engaging? Is it how you want to be represented? Once you are happy with your response, try it on some other people, a co-worker or your spouse.

Business Networks Sunshine Coast

Too often in the business world, it comes down to numbers or worse yet buzzwords. People worry about the “bottom line”, “social engagement”, or “click-throughs”. With all the jargon and stats that fly past you on a daily basis, it might be hard to remember that each one of those numbers represents a living breathing person.

When it comes to business networking, this same problem can arise. People are so happy to share their website’s “hits” and “traffic demos” but they forget about what made them interested in the business in the first place. The people. It is those same people that got you interested in the business that is going to get others interested in it as well.

Personal Stories & Business Networks Sunshine Coast

The personal story not only endears your business to people by putting a face to the organisation, but it’ll endear you to those you speak to at a networking event. It’ll make people remember you, and therefore remember your business the next time they are looking for a service or product.

One of the best aspects of a personal story is that every organisation has one. Obviously, the story needs to be relatable to your business. While the story about the one intern getting a little too drunk at the office end of year function and sharing a little too much with the photocopier is hilarious, it’s not really selling you.

The personal stories that you want to share are the ones that show how your business helped someone. It could be how your product or service changed the life of a client or how it raised the annual turnover for another business through its clever ingenuity. If you have volunteers or charitable arms of your business, the story can be about how your volunteers make a difference in not only your company’s client base but how they are a positive influence on company’s work culture.

Putting a face on your business helps make it relatable and memorable. It’ll help you stand out at the next networking event and make sure that you have the edge from all the buzzword slingers in the room.

Sunshine Coast Business Networking

While an awkward meeting between two people is cute and endearing in the movies, in scriptwriting terms, these are called “meet cutes”, in the real world of business networking all it means that your business or service is DOA before you’ve even had the chance to pitch.

There are a lot of “experts” that are going to share how to do the “perfect” intro, and possibly they would tell us that we use to make quotation marks in our sentence about them, but we are going to step away from perfect and just own the heck out of the room. Let someone else settle for perfect. This is the formula for doing intros like a boss!

What is it about?

So, you have the chance to meet a big shot, maybe even someone with deep pockets just itching for that next investment, you want to impress them. Not only do you want to impress them but darn if you want them to like you. Well, here’s the long and the short of it, it’s not about you. I know, it stings a little. There is plenty of time to get to know each other and share that really awesome anecdote about that business trip you took, but this about what your business can do for them. It’s a networking event, not a blind date. The best piece of advice a business coach ever gave me was that when someone asks you about what you do, what they are really asking is “do I want to use this service or product?”.

Tell them EVERYTHING!

“It started with an idea…and now here’s my 182-point business marketing strategy. Page one..” and you’ve already lost them. While it might seem like you need to share every aspect of your business with someone, it might be a bit much on the first meeting. Coming up with a compelling “elevator pitch” is the key. A simple, but interesting, who-what-when-where-and-how that will let them know that you are about results, not about retelling your entire history.

Facts vs Confidence

It should come as no surprise that you need to be confident in what you say. If someone walked up to you and told you that the sky was blue, but they were very unsure about it, you might be as well. On the flip side, someone might come up and tell you that the sky is plaid and while you know it isn’t, their confidence and charisma might make you hesitate for a second. That’s the kind of moxy that you need to share when you are making your boss-like intro. While you should never misrepresent your business, as those kinds of white lies will come out in the end, you could always confidently embellish the truths to get that hook.

You might also be interested in: How to attract interest in your business with only a few words

Sunshine Coast Business  Networking – Tips, Groups & Events

Business Cards Tips – Networking in Sunshine Coast

There is a scene in the film American Psycho where business folks are around the table out doing each other on the quality of their business cards. While we try not to life advice from a film like American Psycho we do take away two things. One, Huey Lewis and the News is a great band; and two business cards are important.

A lot of times, your business care is your first impression, but all of the time your card is a lasting impression. In one little card it will sum up everything your business is and how you represent it. Seems like a lot of pressure for some paper and ink. Luckily, they aren’t sentient and can’t say how much they don’t like the pressure or being in your pocket for days on end. However, what your card looks like can influence how your perceived.

What should your card do?

Stand out

There used to be a time that all business cards look the same. White stock paper with black text. Technology has done some amazing things and business cards can be all different shapes, sizes, and stock. Over the years I have seen everything from round business cards, to USB cards, to sponges and edible cards. Being different helps you stand out from the other business but it must be for a reason. It must be an extension of your brand.

Communication

Of course, a business card should have all of your contact details on them. That’s the core reason that you have them. A great card must also communicate you and your business values and brand perception. Are you edgy and cool are your upmarket and elegant? That should be expressed in your card.

Must keep item

The longer someone keeps your card the longer they will keep you in mind. Make your card a keeper. Offer a discount if they supply your card, make a deal with a local coffee house for a discount using your card. A gimmick with your card will endear yourself and your business to the card holder.

For such a simple item, these tips are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cards. Contact us today for more tips on how to make your business card memorable.

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