Networkers are made, not born

Leadership

BY MELANIE COOPER

A few introductory emails, some lobby loitering and a punchy five-minute presentation landed a small Palmerston North company a deal with one of the world’s biggest computing forces.

If it sounds like the stuff of business legend, Dell’s head of global marketing, Andy Lark — an expat Kiwi — says it is in fact the product of networking done right.

Lark, who was on the receiving end of the emails and lobby-loitering stratagems of Unlimited Realities product manager Ben Wilde, says by observing a handful of golden networking rules other companies can replicate this success and build powerful networks.

Getting your timing right is a great start. Lark says the modern networker has to appreciate that the person they are seeking is very busy, so they improve their chances by fitting in around that person’s schedule, seeking (and preparing for) a short meeting and setting it up ahead of time.

Think about the timing of your opening move too — an email to a busy company director on a Monday morning, for example, probably won’t get too far.

“Most people try to network and communicate when it is most convenient for them, not when it is most convenient for the person they are trying to communicate with.”

Another mistake would-be networkers make in those first interactions is failing to listen, says the former Merrill Lynch stockbroker turned communications consultant Mark Jeffries.

“Being so focused on what you have to say and what you want to ‘sell’ can mean that you don’t listen. Listening, watching and observing are networking activities that prepare you very well to cement a new relationship.”

Ensuring you and your company can stand up to inspection is also important. The minute Wilde introduced himself on the phone he came under digital scrutiny from Lark, who looked into his background on Google, visited his company website and checked his profile on LinkedIn.

“I think a lot of New Zealanders miss that point — they don’t understand that the moment you call me and get me on the phone, I am Googling you, I am looking in LinkedIn, I am looking at your company website, and if they don’t meet a minimum threshold of quality, the chances of me networking with you are going down pretty fast.”

In the few minutes he was on the phone Wilde passed the test for a sound digital reputation and by dint of being in Lark’s hotel he had also earned stock for ‘turning up’. 

That’s another critical factor in networking, according to Lark.

Geographical barriers mean turning up in person won’t always be possible but Lark says individuals and companies should come up with ways of connecting with their networks that go beyond email.

“At some point you have to reward your networks for helping you. It might just be a little thing like a handwritten thank-you note and a copy of a great business book you read lately, but it shows you’re invested in the relationship.”

Having enticed Lark to see him, Wilde made a strong impression illustrating the capability of his software, what it had done for HP and what it could do for Dell in less than the five minutes he had asked for.

Wilde had also ‘planned the pass on’, something Lark says is a powerful networking tool.

“He had thought about what needed to happen next. He knew the four people he needed to talk to at Dell, he asked for an introduction and he had pre-written the email he wanted me to send them.”

Wilde’s story ends very well. He impressed Lark, who introduced him to a handful of key executives in Austin, Texas and earlier this year Dell released its new all-in-one-PC bundled with Unlimited Realities’ Fingertapps touch software.

Given the potential rewards — and the risks of being without strong networks — Lark says the puzzle is how many companies don’t invest in networking.

“There are entire industries built because people have failed to build good networks. Recruitment, for example, especially of key executive roles, is not something you should need to turn over to another company.”

More people would network if they realised how straightforward it is, according to Jeffries, who talks about the “three Rs of networking” — radar, recall and reward.

Within a week of first making contact, Jeffries suggests getting back in touch to put yourself on their radar.

When you re-establish contact you can use that as an opportunity to show you valued what they said to you by recalling a particular detail.

“If they told you they love trying new steak restaurants when they travel, write in your email to them ‘Hey John ... great to meet you recently at ... I remembered how you felt about steak restaurants, so here’s a little something that you may find useful ...’ and offer them a link to a website devoted to steak restaurants.”

Providing them with a little something upfront, even if it is just a link to a website, also fulfils the ‘reward’ component of networking.

Fair weather networks

A lot of companies make networking harder than it should be by choosing to invest in their networks only when they need something, says Lark.

“You need the connections made well in advance of you actually needing to use those people to chat to and to get advice and help from.”

Instead Lark suggests companies sit down at the start of the year and identify the big challenges they are going to face in the coming 12 to 24 months.

Companies should ask themselves whether their network is equipped to help with those challenges and if there are holes, identify the kinds of people who would be well positioned to help out.

“Too many businesses underestimate the power of their network in driving their success,” says Lark. “It is one of the most important assets a business executive can nurture and build as they go about creating their career.”

Networking: Making the first move

Don't apologise: Lark says introductory emails or conversations need to get to the point quickly and clearly.

“You would be amazed at some of the emails I get — they are 20 paragraphs long, each paragraph is 300 words and they are apologetic dissertations on why I should be interested in their business.”

Phone a friend: If you know someone who knows the person you want to meet, ask them to introduce you.

“If you’re closer to Rod Drury than to me, it makes more sense for you to phone Rod Drury and say ‘Rod could you give me an introduction to Andy?’ and then I am much more likely to respond.” Successful cold-calling really is business folklore.

Make a date: Plan ahead. If there is someone speaking at a conference that you would like to meet, email them ahead of time asking for five minutes before or after the conference.

Use your manners: Getting what you want shouldn’t be the end of the interaction if you are trying to build a lasting network, so send a note or find some way to say ‘thanks’.

The success of author and international speaker Debbie Mayo-Smith’s business relies largely on the online networks she has built, but she says maintaining 20,000 contacts requires work.

Making a connection

Business cards aren’t empty trophies for Debbie Mayo-Smith. When offered one she tells fellow networkers about her monthly online marketing newsletter and asks if she can sign them up. Despite the online world she operates in, Mayo-Smith also cements new contacts with handwritten ‘lovely to meet you’ notes.

Content is still king

Running since 1999, Mayo-Smith’s newsletter now reaches 20,000 recipients. “The large following and low unsubscribe rate are because the newsletter contains information that others would charge for.”

Keep in touch

Having a regular newsletter is one way to ensure you keep in touch with your network. Mayo-Smith says a constant line of communication keeps the ‘conversation’ going and makes it more likely her contacts will turn into customers and repeat customers.

“All internet work should be focused on getting them to sign up to stay in touch with you.”

Listen to the audience

Mayo-Smith says understanding your market will determine how you connect with them.

A recent poll of her subscribers showed that of the 450 respondents only 36 per cent regularly used Facebook, 13 per cent regularly used LinkedIn and 8 per cent regularly Tweet.

For Mayo-Smith the poll confirmed her newsletter is still the most effective medium for her market but even so she is not ignoring the new channels.

“I’ve got a blog, I’ve been doing videos for three years now. I’m LinkedIn, Twittered and for the past two months have been using Facebook pages to grow a base.” 

- Unlimited