Sharpen your networking skills

Networking and representing

your organisation

Tess Woodcraft

• Knowledgeable people know

facts

• Successful and prosperous

people know people

Networking –

a quick Cooke’s tour• Skills, knowledge and aptitudes you need

to be a good networker

• Networking strategy – build it into your

communications strategy

• Where are your networks?

• Networking at events (and the importance

of follow up)

• Social networking (online)

What skills, knowledge and

aptitudes do you need to be an

effective representative for your

organisation?

Skills

• Networking skills

– Communication skills

– Listening skills

– Questionning skills

– Meeting skills

– Planning skills

Knowledge and understanding

• Needs and aspirations of your stakeholders

• Your organisation’s– Role

– Niche/postitioning

– Brand values

– Vision, values, key messages

• Strategic thinking around networking and ambassadorial role – understand that being better connected is essential

Aptitudes

• Be outward facing

• Be friendly

• Be loyal

• Be organised

Being strategic about

‘ambassadors’ and networking

• Build ‘representing work’ into your PR strategy – Recognise the benefits of being outward facing

and connected

– Put in place objectives for 'ambassadors'

– Identify ambassador opportunities

– Train your representatives

– Give them the tools they need

– Ensure that ambassadors bring back information and contacts into the organisation

– Your organisation – a networking hub?

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

Your networks

On-line

networks

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

YOU

Friends

and family

Current job

Past jobs;

Past

educationLocal: Clubs,

politics, church/

mosque/Temple;

hobbies; local

contacts eg

children’s school

Partners’

contacts

Other

Networking events

• How do you prepare?

Preparation is the key

Networks are about sharing. Every successful person was helped by others - make it easy for people to help you. So………..

• Who do you want to meet

• What do you want to find out about

• What do you need to tell people about

• what would you like to ask for:– Advice

– A contact/referral

– A business card

– An opinion

– Clarification

The magic bullet……

How do you introduce your organisation? How do you introduce yourself?

You need a ‘magic bullet’.

• Succinct – 10 – 15 seconds

• Self-explanatory and ultra-simple.

• Actively transfer specific information.

• Immediately and obviously beneficial.

• Memorable

• Appeal to heart and head

At the event

Remember:

Networking is farming, not hunting

Confidence at the event

• Learn to play host:

– introduce new people to a group

– explain what you’re discussing

– offer refreshments

– offer to introduce others

• Have some conversation starters to hand

• Reintroduce yourself to people

• Learn how to get away from a conversation

elegantly

Networking – follow up

• Thanks

• Acknowledgement

• Keep in touch

• Ask for help

• Offer help

Social networking

What is social networking?

• The term used to describe online networking opportunities:– Facebook/LinkedIn

– Blogging

– Interactive websites

– Twitter

– Flickr

– Emailing

– Texting

– You Tube

– On-line chat (eg Mumsnet)

Find out where the

conversations/people are• Use:

– Your current networks

– Search tools

• For blogs: www.technorati.com, samepoint.com

• For Twitter: http://search.twitter.com

• For podcasts: itunes, BBC, search Google

• For online chat rooms/forums – search Google

• For Facebook groups: search Facebook

• For online news: www.mediacloud.com

• For useful /popular websites: www.delicious.com

• Go straight to where people are

» You Tube

» Facebook

» Flickr

» Twitter

Establish your presence

• Set up a blog (use WordPress)

• Upload a video (upload onto You Tube)

• Join Twitter – tweet yourself, follow others

• Join Facebook

• Upload photos on Flickr