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Top Five Networking How Tos

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:22:40 -0500

Following neatly on from the last post, with a more positive slant (!) here's a few suggestions for making those important real world networking occassions slightly less painful. In fact not painful at all, possibly even fun!

Published in Etch Magazine

1) Remember the purpose: connect others.

A great networker is not someone who schmoozes every night, who turns up at every New Zealand Trade & Enterprise breakfast and who hands out cards like they're lollies to small children...a good networker is someone who connects OTHER people. The more people you connect, the better your reputation and the more people want to connect with you. And then the more people you have in your network to be connected so the more connections you can make...

Trap for unwary players: the connections have to be meaningful and useful for the connectees. And that's the skill!

2) Choose the right events to go to.

I have been out and about at events quite a lot in the past month, as part of generating profile for the new business. A great networker connects people, and you can really boost your number of possible connectees and connectors by going to an event.

At the CIO Conference on Tuesday last month I was flagging though and I learnt a valuable lesson. I'm not as young as I was. Well that's true, but its not the valuable lesson. :-) I was offered the chance to be introduced there and then to someone who could potentially be a great source of overflow work for my company. But I turned it down. I wasn't on top form socially (tired!), my business proposition is still being refined and this was too big an opportunity to blow. So I turned it down. And now I get the chance to take it up when its the right time and I can make a great connection.

Trap for unwary players - only do this if you're confident the person offering you the connection is happy to do it again. Be honest about the reasons you're declining and make sure they're aware how appreciative you are and that you'll be following up soon. Follow up soon.

3) Listen and listen some more.

When you're at an event, its not about what you say, its about how you listen. There's two benefits to this approach to networking. 1) it means you don't have to come up with Shakespearean wit and charm each time you open your mouth so relax and enjoy! and 2) it means that introverts aren't off the hook - if you're an introvert, remember you are the perfect audience for extroverts. Nod with interest, chime in occasionally with flavouring phrases - people wind up thinking you're a fascinating person because in your presence they hear themselves saying fascinating things. Simple.

4) Find the lynchpins.

In every community there are a few people who are connected across all industries, professions, demographics etc. The sort of people who pop up all over the place and seem to know everyone else. Email them. Introduce yourself. Join whatever committee they sit on, work on a project together (even virtually) and get to know them well. They'll keep you in the loop and you'll be top of mind if something comes up in their network. At events, spot the people who seem to be most at home, who appear to be waving at other people the whole time. Introduce yourself: "You seem to know a lot of people, what's your secret?" and hook your star to theirs.

5) Act like it's your event.

My number one how-to tip for finding the confidence to speak to people when you walk through the door of a networking event. On your own. At the end of a long day: Pretend you're the host. Pretend that you have the most right to be there, the most right to go up to the drinks table and get a wine, the most right to eyeball people directly, the most right to muscle in on conversations. It's your event. If you can pull off that confidence trick you're home and hosed. In fact it's not a trick. You do have the most right to be there - you RSVPd, right? And if you're a sponsor this is even easier - you've paid for the privilege! So forget you're a guest and be a host, even down to taking responsibility for introducing people to others. Heaven forbid they should be on their own at a networking event...

Top 5 Networking Not Tos

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:48:33 -0500

There's a whole lot of advice around these days on the etiquette for social networking - but the real world version is still pretty important! As someone who 'gets about a bit' in the nicest possible way, here's my Top 5 Networking Not Tos (followed by How Tos).

Thanks to Etch Magazine for featuring this week

1) If you make an excuse to leave a conversation, don't lie.

If you say 'I'm just going to refill my glass' go do it! If you say 'It's been great talking with you, but I've spotted Jack who I haven't seen for ages so must say hello' then please walk straight to Jack and say hello. You'll be watched, spotted and found out as a fraud if you lie. A pretty quick way to ruin credibility.

2) Don't open a conversation with a sales pitch.

You are not there to sell. You are there to build relationships and get to know people and have them trust you because you share stories and information that is interesting and helpful. They do not want to hear your pitch - well they might, but only give it if they ask.

3) Don't ignore the signals.

If someone is pulling at their clothes, rubbing the stem of their wine glass, sighing, moving from foot to foot, chances are you've bored the pants off them so stop talking and start listening. Change the subject, invite someone else in to the conversation or wrap it up, write it off and walk away with a smile.

4) Don't be gross.

For goodness sake don't get drunk. The wine might be free but that's not an excuse to drink the bottle. Make sure you're presentable and not smelly and eat a mint before you arrive. Obvious but honestly, trying to maintain interest in someone who is talking at you with clouds of halitosis washing into your nostrils is mighty tricky. And don't gossip - you just don't know who they know (which is, after all, the whole point of going in the first place but can be your downfall if you say the wrong thing...)

5) Don't go unprepared.

Know who will be there, what they might be interested in so conversation can flow easily. Take your business cards, prepare some opening lines. Have your pitch ready in a concise and interesting format just in case you're asked to give it. Being prepared shows you are committed, being unprepared puts everyone there at the bottom of your priority list which doesn't make them feel too happy.

Expo NZ goes live - yes ICT companies are recruiting!

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:48:38 -0500

Well we've finally done it. Expo NZ goes live in a week's time - our first event is an ICT Job fair on 16th July. We've found a cohort of ICT companies that want to a)show off to an international audience and b)find out if there's talent offshore that could be tempted to come to NZ.

HP, Datacom, Endace, 3months.com, 920 Career Agents, Catalyst, Red Hot Business, Accelerating Auckland, Grow Wellington, Priority One, Immigration, Digital Elements, the NZ Computer Society are amongst the booth holders.

Paul Callaghan kicks off the conference with a keynote speech and is joined by a cast of migrants telling their stories about working in ICT in NZ.

The technology has grown up since our first launch a couple of months back , its now 3d and generally much more beautiful. The video chat interface is better too, with the ability to have multiple staff members 'manning' each booth to talk with visitors. Conference presentations can be delivered live or pre-recorded and presenters can answer questions from the crowd in real time.

You can register here and come explore on the 16th and beyond!

Working with people you like

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:05:21 -0500

I'm so lucky. I get to work with angels, entrepreneurs and a whole heap of enthusiastic passionate people who want to Get Stuff Done in their business. I feed off their energy (in the nicest possible way) and they feed off mine. I firmly believe in surrounding yourself with energetic, positive people so that you can be energetic and positive too. That's not just friends, but work colleagues - and clients too. I don't like to work with people who have negative energy, who are not focussed on What Can, or What Might, or What If.

The best example of a team that know What Can and What Will and What IS are Fit2Front. Love your work :-) Yes that's me in their flyer...

Launch of Virtual Expos NZ

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:21:28 -0500

If

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:15:22 -0600

Some people think I'm naive. Some people tell me that positive thinking is the same as not facing up to things. I disagree.

If you can keep smiling when the news is full of doom and gloom

If you can keep pushing your start up company on and on when big businesses are cutting back and back

If you can remember what's really important and remind yourself that money isn't

If you can spend time with friends, partners, colleagues who you care about and set aside those whose negative energy drains and drags you down

If you can find neat ways to create value for your customers when others are just cost cutting

If you can focus on the future and get there one sunrise at a time

If you can think big and bright and better when others are thinking small and scared

If you accept that buying a huge flat screen TV, leather lounge suite and holiday in Hawaii on your mortgage was NOT a good idea

If you accept that everything has its time, that good times have been had and this is just a cycle

Then 'economic crisis' and 'financial maelstrom' are just words. Intelligence, curiosity and bravery is (all) that's required.

When being nice is not good

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:53:57 -0600

It was great to read Mark Weldon's comments reminding company directors to fire non-performing CEOs. Time are too tough to put up with non-performance. Actually its never OK to put up with non-performance. Actually its not even just non-performance! Its lack lustre performance, un-innovative performance, short term thinking...

And its not just CEOs of publicly listed companies but consultants, contractors, suppliers....

I wonder if one of the reasons that a prominent business person has to remind company directors of their number one responsibility, is a result of the negative side of the kiwi culture I admire so much - open networking. Instead of doing the right thing and dealing with non-performance, opening up the possibilities of doing more and doing better, we worry about our own position, and the risk that our own reputation gets tarnished. It's apparently too risky to speak out and point out bad behaviours, just in case the network jungle drums beat our our professional death knell.

I mean, crikey who'd want a reputation like the brits and yanks for speaking honest professional up front truths?

Note to readers: I am a brit :-)

Picking up speed

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:51:30 -0600

A slightly slow start to the blog year I know, but its the curse of having Christmas in the summer I think. In the UK it was all about the build up, looking forward to huddling together round a fire eating roast potatoes and drinking mulled wine as the horses breath steamed up the outside of the pub windows...or something. Here Christmas is the food fest to mark the end of a hard yakka year, then its a build up to the sunny weather with everyone hanging out on holiday to catch some sun. I've only just got myself relaxed after an unbelievable 2008, and the barely busy Wellington streets aren't helping me gather momentum. Hey there's my excuse, take it or leave it!

Another reason I've been quiet here is that I'm grappling with my return to Twitter (if you really must, you can follow me, look for marie_clair). I tried it last year and felt shamelessly exposed and wantonly foolish typing short bursts of what's happening into an apparent void. But this year, with a few followers and more I'm following (loving Stephen Fry's updates on travels around NZ) I'm finally getting the sense of community so now its time to figure out a voice and stick to it. And I'm getting over the feeling of standing on a cliff yelling banalities into the wind. Which is nice.

Frances has written a great article on using Twitter, with Jill Wilson from CWA New Media. Look out for it in the next INBusiness magazine.

Best Christmas Card Ever

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:16:43 -0600

I've read and laughed at the most dismal Christmas card ever sent to a colleague and thought you might like to see The Best Christmas Card Ever In The World At Least As Far As I Know:

Of course the amazing Roz designed it, and it will be in your inbox soon. Ideas for a sound track win a bottle of cocktails (yes there's still some left over from the party!).

Angel pitching

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:11:30 -0600

Angel HQ held another investment evening recently, with three more ventures presenting to the club. As time goes on we've got more and more rigorous pre-investment evening - we support entrepreneurs to present as well as you possibly can by suggesting you stick to some rules:

1) Preparation: know your pitch content inside out and back to front (warning, don't know it SO well it sounds rehearsed. That's a tricky one!)

2) Preparation: find out which angels are going to be there and get to know them. Check LinkedIn, google, naymz, Facebook even so that you know these people; find out where they hang out, contrive to bump into them.

3) Preparation: get your company ready for scrutiny. There's so much to say about that, more another time (and I'll reference the experts who know the fine art/science required in this space) but its completely true that investment needy is not investment ready.

4) Preparation: be physically as well as mentally prepared. Eat right, hydrate, practice breathing (it's a good idea, keeping breathing) Victoria and Amanda from Fit 2 Front coach Angel HQ entrepreneurs in this space and feedback says it makes a huge difference.

5) Preparation: practice your networking skills. This is absolutely key and if you don't, you might hurt your chances. It's all very well to be polished up on stage, but if your networking efforts are aggressive, or unco-ordinated or badly timed you could negate that positive effect. It's not to say that the crowd aren't sympathetic, they are. And especially if this is your first time raising money its a huge, adrenaline filled dragged-out moment and you're bound to do some things you wish you hadn't. All I'd say is remember its the end of a long and busy day for the angels and it's easier to relax over a glass of wine if you're not already pitching to them the moment they walk in. And after the presentation itself, make the most of the relationships begun through question and answer but know when to leave, and know when to gracefully accept feedback. When to leave: when you've gently walked around the room and chatted with friendly faces, and picked up on questions asked during the pitch. When to accept feedback gracefully: every time it's offered, with no need to refute.

OK that's one rule, executed in four different ways :-)

Living in paradise...nearly

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:15:28 -0600

Most of you know I live on a boat. I think to some people that sounds totally romantic, with visions of martinis on the back deck, simple earthenware pottery serving up hearty fish dishes, sunsets and the sound of seagulls. Hmm actually CAW CAW CAW CAW is not a romantic sound, believe me, but you get my drift.

Well it is romantic - in that it is a simple, straightforward sort of a life. Not a whole lot of frills or fancy stuff and its hard work, but I guess that's sort of romantic too. I thought I'd share a couple of photos so you can see how UN-romantic my living accommodation currently is. And has been for 18 months...

That's pretty much my entire living area, except for the 'sanity shed' that we built before winter, housing the whiteware (OK so I have a few frills) and which also protects us from the howling southerly when we go out to the shower (yes. go OUT to the shower).

It is, of course, being transformed into a gin palace of monstrous proportions over the next couple of years, at which point I won't be able to blog about how clever I am living so simply and sustainably because it will be larger than many people's apartments. In the meantime though, I love it, am proud of it, and quite pleased to be able to add 'resilient, resourceful and tenacious' to my CV with plenty of stories to back those claims up.

The best bit - martinis on the back deck :-) Oh, and no lawns to mow...

Actually USING LinkedIn

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:18:57 -0600

I've received a flurry of invites to LinkedIn recently. Which is nice. However, despite a reputation (publicly stated) for connecting, I have only ever received TWO requests for a connection from people within my LinkedIn network. I think most people are using it to manage their contacts rather than as the powerful networking and interactivity tool it can be.

I'm not the first to suggest better ways of actually USING Linked In (try these from Linked Intelligence) but this is how I do it and it works:

1) Prospecting? Need a connection in a company so it's not a cold call? Search for people within that company then use your network to reach them. Ask your first connection for a referral, who'll ask their network etc until it reaches your target. A warm intro to a prospect is way better than going through switchboard.

2) Track Start Ups and watch for venture opportunities: Do an advanced search for a range of keywords like 'start up' or 'stealth'. Even better if you use the 'Sort by degrees away from you' to see those connected to your nearest/dearest.

3) Check the health of an industry you're considering investing in: Search on competititors of the venture you're assessing. Perform an advanced search for a company name and uncheck the 'current companies only' box - previous employees give more honest references about the business. The results you get from this search also give you an insight into turnover within that company, useful if that's your target opportunity.

4) Create an online resume: OK seems obvious but LinkedIn is not just a place to store contact details. It's a self promotion tool. So get those references in there, upload presentations of your business venture, put a photo up (yes photos are good, they make you real) and make sure your LinkedIn presence does you proud. Headhunters use it all the time to check out prospects.

It's important to update your profile for obvious reasons (same as a blog really, an abandoned profile is distressing for readers and makes them unlikely to connect with you) but one less obvious is the google page ranking benefit - more updates, higher ranking in search results. Because we all google each other. Well, I do!

I'm so lucky not to..

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:44:05 -0600

Our new office looks out towards The Terrace and a house that nearly slipped down the hill earlier in the year. It's being shored up right now and there's a team of builders putting up scaffolding to hold the cliff back.

Frances and I have been watching their efforts. And thanking our parents for an amazing education, and our friends for continuing to drive us. Because being out in a southerly humping concrete, trying to hold back nature, is a job I'm SO GLAD I don't do. Here's some others:

mowing the bit of grass behind the fence on the Rimutaka hill road all the way from Upper Hutt to Masterton (drove that way on Friday afternoon and marvelled at the manicured bit, just before the massive cliff face)
deep sea fisherman (living on a boat makes me even more respectful, no,blimmin scared of the sea)
water blasting the side of multi storey car parks (watched that from the window last week too - yes we do fit in some work toohonest!)

There's a theme here: I'm not so great outdoors, doing repetitive work, with no people. Phew. I am in the right job. Are you?

Customer Service not Systems

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:22:09 -0600

I've just got back to my desk from visiting OfficeMax, and had to have a long sit down and take deep breaths... Last week, we moved offices and after a week of not being able to print, got a geek to help us sort the printer (there's that 'call in the experts thing again, really should take my own advice more often!). Unfortunately he sorted it within 10 mins but we couldn't print as there was no ink. *Doh*. So I toddled down to OfficeMax, ordered a cartridge and it turned up two days later. Not bad I thought. It was the wrong one. So I rang them.

"Sure we can help, what's your customer number?"

"I don't know. I have an order number?"

"No, we need a customer number."

"What for?"

"So we can track the purchase."

"Well, I don't have one. Can you track it from the order number?"

"Maybe." "No that's not showing in the system. Do you have an invoice number?"

"No, there's no invoice in the box and I paid cash."

"There should be an invoice in the box."

"Well, there isn't."

"Well, there should be"

And so on and so on. Eventually I just asked for the thing to be picked up and I would go to the shop to credit my bank account sometime soon. Nope, couldn't happen. I would have to pay a courier to have it collected. So I get the darn thing to the shop finally, and we go through the whole "You haven't got a customer number, we really need one, where's your customer number" for about twenty minutes until finally I got my money back.

I watched the woman faff about with her online stock control system, tutting and sighing and worrying and checking with her manager for ages. It pretty much cost me more to return the thing than to buy it.

Customers want service, not systems. Deal with the customer, then make your systems work later.

Got my ink from ComputerLink in Petone (cheaper and smilier and you don't need a customer number!)

Angel Summit 08

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:27:52 -0600

This time last week I was on Waiheke for the Angel Association first annual (!) summit for angel investors and the angel investing industry. Highlights for me were sitting between Tom McAskill and Steven Tindall, the discussion led by Phil McCaw on creating value and of course, the networking.

The discussion on creating value focused on the concern many new ventures have in New Zealand - finding a CEO of the right calibre to lead the company. It seems we're not short of capital, not short of innovation, but we're short of great leaders and commercial managers to drive growth in businesses.

The angels discussed how to 'tame' the inventor without losing their passion - recognising that the venture wouldn't have got so far without that passion, but that the inventor is probably not the person to take the invested company to the next level. The general agreement was to try and deal with the human issues, in up front conversations, before the capital is committed. With a realisation that it's easy to be rational outside the deal negotiation, but harder once you're in it!

So if you're raising money, take a look at the team. Are you the right person to lead the business once the money's in the bank? Can you step aside, find a different role for yourself? Do you know someone who'd be an ideal CEO? Given the conversation I participated in, you can expect to be asked the hard questions about leadership, but also expect respect for your achievement, and an understanding of the transition you're going through.

Stealth Networking

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:51:05 -0600

We've kept track of the business connections made at our party last week. So far, at least 6 people there have had follow up discussions with people they met, about new business opportunities.

The best news was that not only was there overt networking going on, there was some stealthy stuff happening too. Check this out:

Tarik Mallett was contacted the morning after by someone that
attended and was introduced to him and his services by another attendee
in his absence....!!!

How's that for the network effect.

And it's a reason why networking is not just about who you meet, but who they know. Don't think that just because it's hard to find common ground with the person you happen to be talking with, you should write them off as a network connection. Who knows who they know?

Networking Party Etiquette

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:53:46 -0500

Frances and I threw a networking party last night. It was great fun and achieved what we set out to do: thank everyone who's made this first year in business so great, and give everyone we have the privelege of knowing, the chance to know each other. As it was my first party, the experience has given me some fresh insights into networking (in the same way that running your own business makes you better qualified to advise others wink wink).

Thanks to everyone who obeyed these rules and had fun with us.

1) Always respond to an RSVP It was SO annoying, when Roz had spent so long creating a beautiful invite, to find that people couldn't be bothered even saying no. It doesn't matter if you say no, it matters if you ignore the gesture of being invited. (Caveat on this: our invite was so fabulous it did get stuck in some people's spam filters..! so you lot are excused)

1a) If you didn't respond to an RSVP don't just bowl up There won't be enough food and drink and if its a seated affair you'll stuff it all up. The height of rudeness I reckon, to not acknowledge an RSVP and then bowl up on the night. It smacks of 'I didn't want to come and was holding out for better offers but none came so you'll do'. Well you won't do.

2) If you can't make it, tell your host We spent a fortune in Moore Wilsons and luckily our party went until midnight so it was all eaten. Would have been annoying otherwise. An apology, no matter how late, is better than not turning up

2a) If you don't apologise before, apologise after The next day is fine. Otherwise you're a no show and you ain't getting another invite.

3) Say thanks Ohmygosh it was so wonderful to get all the thank yous today. We were really touched. It's not hard to fire a quick email with 'thanks for putting on the event' - you don't have to say you enjoyed it, if you didn't, just acknowledge the effort and aspirations of your host.

Lots of other comments on the goings on at the event, will cover them separately!

Calling in the Experts

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:51:08 -0500

I am now completely sold on the idea of calling in the experts. When you run your own business its so tempting to JFDIY (just, well, do it yourself) because it saves money. Well, maybe, but it certainly doesn't save you time if you're bashing away at a website that would take someone else three hours to create. Time is money, and its more valuable.

That argument has been had and won before. BUT there's one more layer to add, now. And that is, calling in the experts exposes you to a level of skill that you just don't have, that can take your business somewhere you hadn't dreamed of. That's why they're called experts, stoopid.

Example - I'm moving offices, and moving in with Frances to a cool new pad on Boulcott Street. Hurrah! I had a vision of some nice matching furniture and a couple of pot plants and, well, simply our own space. This is what we're renting:

And this is what Roz Paterson has designed for us:

See I love it so much its my desktop background! Aren't we lucky! And aren't you looking forward to the office warming....

Hail a Baxi

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:48:38 -0500

Baxi launches this month..brainchild of the mad and fabulous Vicky Ha you'll now be able to hail a baxi and be biked across town to your next destination. Human powered pedicabs, how much greener can you get?! And no competition for the taxis - I mean, someone still has to take people up Boulcott Street and Mount Vic.

Each Baxi® can take two grown ups in comfort and considerable style. And you get to choose what you pay - there will be no set tariff. Passengers will be able to negotiate their fare with their Baxi® pilot, or to decide at journey’s end what the trip was worth.

This fantastic new start up is launching at Southern Cross on Tuesday 21st, from 5:30pm. Great media opportunity (the bikes will be there) and if you're keen on becoming a pilot (yeah thighs of steel!) or want to advertise on the baxis, contact Vicky. haha@baxi.co.nz

Changing the world one man at a time

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:45:05 -0500

My partner returned on Sunday after a weekend away with the boys. Not any old weekend away though, this was a New Warrior Training Adventure and man, it's pretty cool living with a New Warrior! I am amazed at how much it's affected him, in a positive, glowing, shiny eyed, uplifted, energised, connected, authentic, fantastic way! He hasn't told me much about it, they're not supposed to - and I get that as words take away the magic - but from the little I've gleaned, its affected him profoundly.

The adventure is run by the Mankind Project, which is a not for profit community of men from all backgrounds that support each other to live fulfilling lives. Like I say, when you try to put it in words it sounds a bit simple, wierd almost. What's wierd though about connecting with other men, finding great mates, getting outside your comfort zone and sorting our your mission in life. I mean, wouldn't you want to get all that sorted in one weekend!

Before he went, we tried to research the weekend more, and discovered what we should have known already - that you find what you're looking for on the internet - so found stuff that made him nervous about going. Turns out it was all crap, and that it's the kind of experience you can only appreciate by doing, not by reading.

Interestingly at the graduation last night, there were lots of women there who said that it was through them that their men got to know about MKP. It doesn't seem to come so well from a bloke to another bloke ('hey, what you saying, there's something wrong with me?!") so here's a call to action, ladies, have a read through the website - talk with me - and let's get more New Warriors out there in the world.