How to Gain from giving

Article contributed by Lisa Mackay.

A recent BNI Blog posted the question “How do we cultivate a networking mindset?”

I contend that the answer is actually pretty simple, remember that “Givers Gain”.

Who do you remember?

Think back to your last networking event, who are the people that you remember? Those who went me, me, me (while you went yawn, yawn, yawn), or those who engaged you in conversation?

We all hear a lot of me, me, me at networking events, after all we are trying to get round as many people in the room and tell as many people as possible about us and what we do. But in honesty that is pretty monotonous, so how can you make yourself be more memorable?

Go for quality not quantity?

Rather than trying to spend 60 minutes giving your 60 second presentation to 60 people, spend 6 minutes with 10 people (or even better, 10 GROUPS of people so that you still get more people to hear your pitch).

Engage them in REAL conversation

Keep your elevator pitch very short and sweet so that they do know what you do, but then make enquiries about them, what’s top of their mind? What challenges are they facing right now? What are their plans for the future?

And while they are telling you, be thinking about what help you could suggest for them. For example:

• my business is growing really fast … let me have your card and I’ll get Charlies Angels to give you a call, they can really help take the admin work off your plate
• I’m moving to new premises … have you thought about security, I’ll get Fiona from Signature Security to give you a call
• I had such a nightmare, my computer crashed last night … do you have a back-up? Dan’s your man from Cyberhub

So where is the benefit for you?

1. They are far more likely to remember the person who gave them something
2. It gives you an excuse to call them to see how things went with Charlie/Fiona/Dan
3. You have their card so can now add them to your database

Remember, givers really do gain