Blog Post: How to Start a Conversation - Three Tips for Your Networking!

As summer draws to a close, many of us are emerging from our summer's seclusion. All of the organizations I belong to take the months of July and August off from meetings, returning to their regular schedule after the U.S. Labor Day weekend. That puts pressure back on salespeople to re-charge their networking batteries and start renewing familiar contacts and beginning new ones.

A client confessed in a recent coaching session that he felt "pressure to perform" in networking situations. He likened it to the moments before an unprepared performer takes the stage; equal parts anticipation and dread! If that sounds familiar, try thinking less about getting your message across, and more about approaching networking as "objective curiousity."

Here are three great questions to include in any networking conversation:

1. What brings you here?
2. Tell me about yourself?
3. What distinguishes your business from your competition?

Come prepared to answer those questions as well, because nine times out of ten your conversation partner will want to know the same things about you.

At events you attend, look for wallflowers. They're the people on the edge of the action. Perhaps they're new to the group, or uncomfortable in large gatherings. Everyone has a story, and the only way you'll find the stories of great value will be to ask. If wallflowers aren't readily available, seek out and join the conversation group that looks like they're having the most fun! An opening like "I'm new to the group, what can you tell me about today's event?" opens doors like magic!

A book I highly recommend for people who want to learn how to break the ice is Debra Fine's The Fine Art of Small Talk. Check out http://www.debrafine.com/ for more information on her books and speaking engagements.

My next book is titled The 89 Greatest Business Development Questions Ever! This quick read will be available in paperback at year's end, and you can pre-order to avoid the holiday rush (will fit in a stocking) at http://www.mikefaber.com/store.php