Sharpen your networking skills

Sharpen your networking skills

• 1.
  Networking and representing your organisation Tess Woodcraft
• 2.
  • Knowledgeable peopleknow facts • Successful and prosperous people know people
• 3.
  Networking – a quick Cooke’s tour • Skills, knowledge and aptitudes you need to be a good networker • Networking strategy – build it into your communications strategy • Where are your networks? • Networking at events (and the importance of follow up) • Social networking (online)
• 4.
  What skills, knowledgeand aptitudes do you need to be an effective representative for your organisation?
• 5.
  Skills • Networking skills – Communication skills – Listening skills – Questionning skills – Meeting skills – Planning skills
• 6.
  Knowledge and understanding •Needs and aspirations of your stakeholders • Your organisation’s – Role – Niche/postitioning – Brand values – Vision, values, key messages • Strategic thinking around networking and ambassadorial role – understand that being better connected is essential
• 7.
  Aptitudes • Be outward facing • Be friendly • Be loyal • Be organised
• 8.
  Being strategic about ‘ambassadors’and networking • Build ‘representing work’ into your PR strategy – Recognise the benefits of being outward facing and connected – Put in place objectives for 'ambassadors' – Identify ambassador opportunities – Train your representatives – Give them the tools they need – Ensure that ambassadors bring back information and contacts into the organisation – Your organisation – a networking hub?
• 9.
  Your networks Current job Friends and family Partners’ YOU contacts Past jobs; Past Local: Clubs, education politics, church/ mosque/Temple; Other hobbies; local contacts eg children’s school On-line networks
• 10.
  Networking events • Howdo you prepare?
• 11.
  Preparation is thekey Networks are about sharing. Every successful person was helped by others - make it easy for people to help you. So……….. • Who do you want to meet • What do you want to find out about • What do you need to tell people about • what would you like to ask for: – Advice – A contact/referral – A business card – An opinion – Clarification
• 12.
  The magic bullet…… Howdo you introduce your organisation? How do you introduce yourself? You need a ‘magic bullet’. • Succinct – 10 – 15 seconds • Self-explanatory and ultra-simple. • Actively transfer specific information. • Immediately and obviously beneficial. • Memorable • Appeal to heart and head
• 13.
  At the event Remember: Networking is farming, not hunting
• 14.
  Confidence at theevent • Learn to play host: – introduce new people to a group – explain what you’re discussing – offer refreshments – offer to introduce others • Have some conversation starters to hand • Reintroduce yourself to people • Learn how to get away from a conversation elegantly
• 15.
  Networking – followup • Thanks • Acknowledgement • Keep in touch • Ask for help • Offer help
• 16.
  Social networking
• 17.
  What is socialnetworking? • The term used to describe online networking opportunities: – Facebook/LinkedIn – Blogging – Interactive websites – Twitter – Flickr – Emailing – Texting – You Tube – On-line chat (eg Mumsnet)
• 18.
  Find out wherethe conversations/people are • Use: – Your current networks – Search tools • For blogs: www.technorati.com, samepoint.com • For Twitter: http://search.twitter.com • For podcasts: itunes, BBC, search Google • For online chat rooms/forums – search Google • For Facebook groups: search Facebook • For online news: www.mediacloud.com • For useful /popular websites: www.delicious.com • Go straight to where people are » You Tube » Facebook » Flickr » Twitter
• 19.
  Establish your presence • Set up a blog (use WordPress) • Upload a video (upload onto You Tube) • Join Twitter – tweet yourself, follow others • Join Facebook • Upload photos on Flickr