I was having lunch today with Christine Clapp today, and, among the other great things we talked about, she asked me what I thought were the biggest mistakes small business owners make in networking. I said there were two, and I thought they’d both make good blog posts.
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make in networking is not listening. People think that networking means talking about themselves, and that is some of what you do. (I’ll be talking more about this one tomorrow when I cover the other really big mistake.)
But listening is key to success in networking for several reasons.
1. It shows you care. Remember that we refer people we know, like and trust. How can you build trust without showing you care? Listening for needs gives us an opportunity to give back. Listening for shared interests gives us something to continue talking about.
2. It gives the conversation more substance. Many people are bad at keeping a scintillating conversation going. Listening and asking good follow up questions makes it much easier. It’s actually easier to listen than to try to figure out what witty or relevant thing to say next. Asking follow up questions makes it easier for the other person to know what to say next. Besides, who doesn’t like talking about themselves?
3. Listening gives you clues for what to say. Of course, you’re going to want your shot at talking sometimes. If you’ve listened well, you know something about the other person, which makes it easier for you to decide what you want to say. You can tailor a message that will resonate with the other person. If you have uncovered a shared interest or philosophy, that gives you more to talk about and keeps the conversation flowing.
Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about the other big mistake I see and how listening first can help overcome the other mistake.
Until then, listen first. You will have a reputation as a great conversationalist, and people will keep coming back for more.
Tags: communication, Networking, Relationship building, reputation
This is why we have two ears and only one mouth.
Great listening skills pay off, because if you can just hear the other person out, chances are they’re going to answer questions you’re thinking of.
Great listeners are competent in their business offerings, confident that they can do the best job for you, the prospect, and they really care. Three key ingredients to being a successful business person.
I HEAR you, Juli!:)
Ahh, but there is a difference between listening and hearing. Hmm. That might be another post.