More Tips on How to Do Business Networking Right

1. Ask follow-up questions.

Want to win someone over? Ask them follow-up questions, which differ from other questions in that they request that the person elaborate on something they just mentioned. A 2017 Harvard University study found that people who ask follow-up questions are seen as more likable by their conversation partner, both in-person and online.

2. Think beyond the traditional networking event.

You don’t have to throw on a suit, slap on a nametag, and walk into a convention center to do business networking. Be on the lookout for less-traditional ways to meet people in your target network.

In the early days of my freelance career, I was driving around the San Francisco Bay Area and pulled over to look at a table of free items in someone’s front yard. I ended up striking up a conversation with the homeowner, who turned out to be the cofounder of a creative agency. She gave me her business card, and a couple of months later, I was listed on her agency’s website as one of its freelance writers! All because of a chance encounter that wasn’t intended to be a networking opportunity.

In this day and age, when so many are working from home and getting creative with online events, virtual networking is on the rise. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for doing this, which we’ll talk about in the next tip.

3. Revamp your LinkedIn profile.

For years, I neglected LinkedIn because I thought it was a waste of time. But over the past year, I decided to revamp my profile, fill it with keywords and relevant examples of my work, and start connecting with people within my industry. And guess what? I’ve never before had so many potential clients reaching out to me after finding me on LinkedIn.

And I’m not the only one. In the 2017 LinkedIn survey mentioned earlier, 35% of users said that a conversation started on the platform led to a new opportunity, including business deals.

4. Make time for face time.

No, I don’t mean Apple’s video app. While in 2020, we’re all used to video calls instead of in-person hangouts, there’s good reason to make time for face-to-face meetings (if it’s safe to do so). A 2010 study published in Computers in Human Behavior had participants chat with a partner two times: face-to-face and over the computer. In the end, participants saw their partner as less self-centered when communicating face-to-face versus over the computer.

5. Be human.

Yes, this is business networking, but that doesn’t mean you have to be all business all the time. For example, if you know your new contact just had a baby, congratulate them! If you know they’re going through a rough time because of the pandemic, reach out with encouraging words. Be human. They’ll know you care about them as a person rather than just seeing them as someone who can advance your career. That goes a long way in building trust.

By Amy Rigby