'Tis the season to eat, drink and socialize!
You have two choices; one, to be like Rip Van Winkle and go into a deep sleep until January, or two, use holiday socializing as an opportunity for growth and giving. This is a great time to establish bonds with your clients and potential clients. Send notes, drop off a token gift, and express your appreciation for their business.
The point of networking is to share mutually valuable information. That is what makes networking a level playing field. It is about giving rather than receiving, which is keeping with the spirit of the season, right? Anytime you speak informally to other people, you are creating relationships. If you share interesting ideas, knowledge, and connections that are helpful to other people, they will do the same for you.
Get PEPP
Knowing how holiday networking differs from networking during the rest of the year will give you an edge in making and sustaining your relationships.
Pace
Things move slowly during the holidays. Planning early helps you avoid rejection for appointments. Send e-mails right now to two or three people you would like to catch up with. Propose a time and place that does not interfere with other commitments. A message such as "Can we meet for about 20 minutes before the Sundowner?" takes advantage of your being in the same place with a person you wish to speak with.
Exception
The rule is that nothing happens between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. But there are exceptions to the rule. You have to state clearly why it is in a company's best interest to close a deal with you now. Strategize for the exception, communicate from the company's perspective and leave the door open.
Parties
Try a "Three Step Approach" at a holiday party by asking yourself: What do I need to know? Who might be at the party with valuable ideas? What can I give back to them? Tell someone ahead of time that you would like to make a point of seeing them at the party, and they will be looking for you too.
Perspective
Remember, a party is a social situation and talk is conversation. Think of it as a dance, you take the lead for a while, asking things like which companies are doing interesting things in their industry and where the challenges are in their own company, then give the lead on more personal topics, such as family, vacations, etc. No pressure, just relationship building. If you have a couple of ideas that might be of help, or can refer someone else to them, ask for a card and permission to give a call at work. That is where the business conversation ends and a return to lighter topics begins. Keep your needs in perspective.
You have two choices; one, to be like Rip Van Winkle and go into a deep sleep until January, or two, use holiday socializing as an opportunity for growth and giving. This is a great time to establish bonds with your clients and potential clients. Send notes, drop off a token gift, and express your appreciation for their business.
The point of networking is to share mutually valuable information. That is what makes networking a level playing field. It is about giving rather than receiving, which is keeping with the spirit of the season, right? Anytime you speak informally to other people, you are creating relationships. If you share interesting ideas, knowledge, and connections that are helpful to other people, they will do the same for you.
Get PEPP
Knowing how holiday networking differs from networking during the rest of the year will give you an edge in making and sustaining your relationships.
Pace
Things move slowly during the holidays. Planning early helps you avoid rejection for appointments. Send e-mails right now to two or three people you would like to catch up with. Propose a time and place that does not interfere with other commitments. A message such as "Can we meet for about 20 minutes before the Sundowner?" takes advantage of your being in the same place with a person you wish to speak with.
Exception
The rule is that nothing happens between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. But there are exceptions to the rule. You have to state clearly why it is in a company's best interest to close a deal with you now. Strategize for the exception, communicate from the company's perspective and leave the door open.
Parties
Try a "Three Step Approach" at a holiday party by asking yourself: What do I need to know? Who might be at the party with valuable ideas? What can I give back to them? Tell someone ahead of time that you would like to make a point of seeing them at the party, and they will be looking for you too.
Perspective
Remember, a party is a social situation and talk is conversation. Think of it as a dance, you take the lead for a while, asking things like which companies are doing interesting things in their industry and where the challenges are in their own company, then give the lead on more personal topics, such as family, vacations, etc. No pressure, just relationship building. If you have a couple of ideas that might be of help, or can refer someone else to them, ask for a card and permission to give a call at work. That is where the business conversation ends and a return to lighter topics begins. Keep your needs in perspective.