Category: President's Letter

When I attended our BPW State Annual Conference in June, I was fortunate to attend a mini seminar given by Tiffanie Kellog. I purchased her book, 4 ½ Networking Mistakes. This month I would like to share with you some of the major points from this book:

1. Do NOT attend networking events thinking that you are going to get more business, or sell something that day. The true purpose of networking is to meet people to add to your network of referral sources. Your goal should be to book a meeting from your initial meeting with individuals at these events so that you can get to know them better and see how you can help each other in business.
2. People rarely do business with, or refer others to, someone they have only just met. People do business with those that they “know, like, and trust.” That is why your goal should be to book a meeting with people you meet at a networking event, so that you can begin to get to know them, develop a relationship and build trust.
3. Do NOT commit in-person spamming! In-person spamming is when you give out your business card to as many people as you can at an event. You should ONLY give your card to someone when they ask for it.
4. Instead of the usual name tag that gives your name, title and company logo, consider designing a name tag that is a conversation starter, also known as a “curiosity name tag”. Its purpose is to intrigue people into asking you what you do instead of having them make assumptions based on your job title or company name.

These are just a few of the tips in this very informative book. Tiffanie offers many more tips on ways to strengthen your referral relationships and includes “19 Networking Nuggets”. Some of the great Networking Nuggets you will find in this book are: Exit the Conversation Gracefully, Avoid Spending Time with People You Already Know, Avoid the Networking Don’ts – and many more! This book is available on Amazon; buy your copy today to improve your networking skills. I’ve already implemented several of her recommendations!