This blog will be the first of a series of Networking Tips anyone can use when your out meeting new people. This week we will focus on building relationships by discovering and remembering personal details.
When you meet a new person for the first time, they will tell you their name, who they work for and what they do. These are standard and typically something you can also find on their Business card, LinkedIn, or website. It is good to remember these things, you should record it and do a little research on them before you contact them again.
When we contact people a second time, you can reference things you found on their business card. This however is rather impersonal. People like to talk about themselves and you can create more good will by remembering some personal bit of information rather than something on their card. You may find out that you have common interests or have similar histories. These things create a person connection between you and the other person.
When you first talk to someone, pay attention to the stories they tell and things they say that are personal or seem important enough for them to tell a stranger.
Things like:
- Where they are from
- Do they have kids
- Did they just mention a vacation or fun trip they took
- Did they just achieve something noteworthy
These things, you’ll find are actually easier to remember than someones name! People remember stories…
When you contact the person again, keep it brief, but make mention of something personal about them. This will let them know you actually paid attention to what they said and create a more personal bond.
Sample messages:
Good Morning [name],
It was great to meet you at the [event] yesterday. That trip to NYC sounded like a lot of fun, I’d love to do that one day too. It sounds like our companies have a lot in common, I would love to learn more about what you do. Would you like to get together over coffee and chat next week?
Good afternoon,
It was great to meet you last night at the [event]. I really liked the [product] your company carries, many of our customers would be interested in such an item. I’m sure we can do some business together. Would you like to get together and tell me more about it. Also, congratulations again on your son’s winning touchdown.
Stay tuned next week when we talk about telling stories instead of stating facts…