{"id":2242,"date":"2018-09-20T08:53:31","date_gmt":"2018-09-20T12:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timothydimoff.com\/?p=2242"},"modified":"2018-09-20T08:53:31","modified_gmt":"2018-09-20T12:53:31","slug":"tips-to-evolve-everyday-networking-into-relationship-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timothydimoff.com\/2018\/09\/20\/tips-to-evolve-everyday-networking-into-relationship-building\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips to Evolve Everyday Networking into Relationship Building"},"content":{"rendered":"

By now everyone knows the most important way to find new customers, partners, employees, vendors or a job is by networking. If you are not talking to other professionals you are not growing professionally, bottom line. However, networking is not just meeting as many people as possible and hoping something \u201csticks\u201d. The key is to evolve everyday networking into relationship building.<\/p>\n

This is where people who make a good first impression shine. The good news is, you can too by adopting simple tips to set the right tone and put your best foot forward during the initial contact.<\/p>\n

Adopt the Right Attitude<\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve all met the person whose conversation inevitably revolves around them. They can be succinctly described to another colleague by the following sentence; Enough about me, what do you think about me? Don\u2019t be that person.<\/p>\n

The key to effective networking is to think of it as \u201crelationship building\u201d and not a \u201cmeet and greet\u201d opportunity. The main goal of effective networking is to find out about the person right in front of you, not educate them about you. The opportunity to talk about yourself will present itself eventually but leading off an encounter by spewing out factoids about yourself will not bode well with a new contact.<\/p>\n

As Dale Carnegie, states in the book \u201cHow to Win Friends and Influence People\u201d<\/a><\/u>:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Approach networking encounters as a way to find out about someone new. When the mindset is adjusted in this direction, the ability to get the conversation started in addition to the beginning of a fruitful relationship is more likely to result.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Just Meet, Connect<\/h2>\n

As I state in my book, \u201cThe YOU in Business\u201d, networking needs to be viewed as \u201crelationship building\u201d. This is why the initial contact is so important. According to a recent study it only takes 33 to 100 ms<\/a><\/u> for someone to decide if they like you or not. We\u2019ve all heard that \u201cyou never get a second chance to make a first impression\u201d. No truer words have ever been said.<\/p>\n

Make sure to follow basic social etiquette to set the right first impression in motion by:<\/p>\n