Even the most charitable person wants to know: What’s in it for me? Even if “what’s in it for me” is the joy of helping someone else.
The first rule of networking is that you must put yourself in the shoes of the other person.
Entrepreneurs are busy people, and all their time is already divided between their diverse responsibilities. Taking another compromise means there’s a cost – opportunity for every new task accepted. So, you shouldn’t waste an entrepreneur’s time or force them to meet you solely because they don’t want to be rude. Only request a meeting if it’s strictly necessary and prepare for it by putting yourself in their shoes.
The meeting should have a clear and concrete purpose. If you can’t recast your idea of networking into one of humble service, you will fail. Be concrete by using a here’s what I need format. You could use something like this: “I’ve got something to give to the world, and with just a little help from you, I can make my dream a reality.”
Also, ensure the meeting is focused effectively by setting an agenda and sending your questions beforehand.
The world doesn’t revolve around you and what you need.
Tips to network in the right way:
1) Know yourself and the industry you want to work in:
Read as much as necessary and do every possible test to know yourself. Just by knowing yourself, you will know what you can offer and what you need to seek from both your industry and your contacts.
2) Be clear about what you want and be sure they understand it:
Know why whatever you are looking for is relevant for you and them and how little time/effort they need to help you. If you can’t do that, there’s no real purpose or reason to reach out to someone.
3) Put yourself in their shoes (again):
Once their position and your need is clear, consider how the interaction will go. Ask yourself the following questions: Why would they want to talk to me? How can I make it easy on them? Would talking to me be entertaining or educational?
In summary, what they will get from interacting with you. At a minimum, be humble and appreciative in any interaction.
4) Make it easy for them:
If you want to receive help, simplicity is crucial. Nobody will do something complicated for you, especially if they don’t know you. As a rule of thumb, never ask for lunch if a short meeting will do, never ask for a meeting if a phone call will suffice, and never ask for a phone call if an email will get the job done.
5) If the other person isn’t interested, back off:
You don’t want to be pushy under any circumstance. Thank them, ask them for references for someone else to talk to or something to read, and leave them alone.
6) Start at the bottom by contacting people serving real customers:
Look for people who recently joined the company to learn about the hands-on experience in the industry. They will have valuable insights. Another thing you can do to gain industry knowledge is to read biographies of industry pioneers, for example.
7) Be prepared if you need a meeting:
Ensure you have read all the important books about the industry and the biographies about its pioneers in advance. You need to be able to keep up with the conversation.
8) Send a list of questions in advance:
It’ll help to set the agenda and show you’ve done your homework.
9) Ask questions:
Use your time in a personal Interview to learn about the other person. How did they get to where they are today? What mistakes have they made? What do they cherish or regret? By knowing them better and seeing your compromise, they might be more motivated to help you. They may even start seeing you as a younger version of themselves.
10) Give something unexpected in return:
Being willing to give of yourself without being asked is a sign of maturity and character. Collaborate with any of their initiatives, or assure them you will share what you learned from them.
11) Be nice to executive assistants:
They can be your most valuable source of information about a company or an entrepreneur. After all, they also help to run the company. See them as a resource, not a barrier.
12) Follow up:
Always write a handwritten thank you note. Let them know how their advice or recommendations helped. Show them gratitude by offering something unexpected.