The first meeting with a new person in your network is a sounding-out process. In networking, this first conversation is a critical process. Good networkers do a “quality control” assessment of the people they meet. Be very mindful of that basic networking process and respect the other person’s need to sound you out.
This initial conversation will be your opportunity to get to know and properly evaluate your new contact. How you conduct yourself, and the quality of your information and responses are the key issues.
Critical “Don’ts” in first networking conversations.
The most important things to avoid in a first conversation are also important principles in good networking. Let’s begin with the absolute basic networking risk management strategies:
Don’t start with a speech!
Consider someone saying something like this to you, after first introductions:
“Great to meet you! We’re looking at a whole new range of initiatives for our multi-tier B2B marketing, including some really exciting new opportunities for broad market penetration and a range of novel innovations in merchandising which…”
That’s 37 words of almost meaningless generic babble, utterly useless to your listener. Worse, during this quite unnecessary speech, the other person in the conversation can’t get a word in. Not one word in an introduction like this can possibly relate to practical networking, either. They’ll be wondering when this lengthy speech will end, and getting much less impressed by each sentence.
This conversation is NOT a job interview
People new to networking often make this very basic mistake. They will instantly revert to job interview mode, reciting experience, qualifications, and almost answering the “Where do you expect to be in five years?” question as well, without the question being asked, for example:
“About me and my work, I think my weak points in my B2B role are that I care too much about business and broad-spectrum market quality, and I’m passionate about good interactions with clients and stakeholders…”
Hard to believe that almost totally irrelevant mess is only one unfinished sentence, isn’t it? You’ll note that very like the speech example, this pseudo-information has no possible networking value to the listener. You’re lucky (and by now probably desperately polite) listener has just met you and is trying to sound you out on your networking potential, remember?
Avoid sales pitches at all costs
Any sort of sales pitch is definitely not appropriate in a first networking meeting. If you work in marketing or sales, your most likely risk in a networking conversation is instantly going into your sales mode:
“Our new product range has a whole suite of features with technical support backup and after sales care that deliver fantastic value to our clients for their professional needs…”
There is no good reason for inflicting your listener with this quite out of place information. The person you’re talking to very probably already knows you’re in marketing or sales. You’re networking, not selling what sounds like a catalog of products and services. Personal networking experts will tell you never to waste words or other people’s time.
Ignorance of business legal issues is not an option
Bear in mind that business networking conversations can be far-ranging, including a broad range of topics. You may be talking about intellectual property, market conditions, bills of sale, or anything at all.
In any conversation, there is a required level of knowledge for the conversation to be truly productive. That particularly applies to core subjects like business law. Topics of conversation may include contracts and really important networking relationships like partnerships. In networking, your knowledge base must be adequate to include essential legal processes and procedures in your sector.
A conversation which includes implications of ignorance is hardly likely to help your networking, either:
“Partnership options for intellectual property rights? Oh, I’ll have to read up on that stuff. I’m not totally familiar with…”
This is a surefire way of instantly and totally undermining your credibility. Make a point of being fully conversant with any legal situations related to your networking opportunities.
No professional jargon, please
Professional jargon can be irritating, and even insulting, in a first conversation. The fact is most people usually don’t understand professional terminologies. It sounds like you’re trying to impress the person with your knowledge. In fact, you’re more likely to be annoying them with incomprehensible gibberish:
“We’re using a fabulous AI design suite with deep learning algorithmic formulas for graphic design presentations and it works brilliantly with our current generation AutoCAD software, delivering high resolution with top quality…”
Again, the entire conversation is entirely derailed, as you hit your listener with this barrage of verbosity. Most people will definitely not appreciate this sort of one-sided conversation which really needs subtitles to be understood. Stick to clear, basic language at all times.
Listen to the other person
This very straightforward, polite and professional approach to networking is simple enough. Make sure the other person is able to speak, and say what they need to say at all times. You’re in the conversation to get information, and the conversation will run much more smoothly if you simply listen.
Erika Rykun
Latest posts by Erika Rykun (see all)
- What Successful Networkers Never Do On First Conversations - June 12, 2019