Networking: taking your show on the road

PRIME – July 2014 By Mark G. Auerbach Special to PRIME Whether you've started your own business, you're on the job search, or you're thinking about making a change in your work life, you have to put yourself on the line. Networking is an essential part of today's business climate, and every new networking opportunity is like an audition. You're trying to put your best foot forward in hopes of being noticed and recognized for your skills. Before you hit the road Remember, you are your product and you are your brand. What do you do? What makes you unique? You may share thousands of skill sets with others, but how have you packaged them to make them YOU? In any networking situation, you're only going to have about 90 seconds maximum to state your case and show yourself off. Some folks call this "the elevator pitch." Of course, you want to begin with your name and your company, or if you're job hunting, the kind of work you do. Then, it's time to sell yourself to make others want you. Think of your content first. To define yourself, know your product (in many cases, you) inside and out. What skills do you have? What have you done successfully? What distinguishes your work? Who is your market? Then, figure out who your competition is, and what sets you apart. With those elements in mind, craft your pitch. Make it personal, because you are your product. Once you've created it, you'll want to practice it over and over, until you're comfortable with it. Then, tailor it to your audience. Accentuate the positive. If you've been out of work for two years, don't start your pitch with "I've been job hunting for over two years." If there's a gap between jobs in your resume, find a way to explain it. "I took time away from the workplace to care for my elderly parent" or "I was full-time parenting" make complete sense to your audience. Forbes Magazine recapped some pointers in making your pitch perfect. Check them out online at www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/02/04/the-perfect-elevator-pitch-to-land-a-job/?&_suid=1402581810552011962499283254147. My elevator pitch is simple. I'm Mark G. Auerbach from Longmeadow, Massachusetts. I'm a full-time marketing and public relations consultant with my own boutique agency. I'm a part-time reporter, and a full-time caffeinator." And, if I'm actually giving my elevator pitch in an elevator, I ask "what floor, please?". Someone asked me why I use my middle initial. Well, there are two other Mark Auerbachs that I know or know of, and one is also in marketing, so my middle initial helps to set me apart. Packaging you, the product If you're out and about networking, carry business cards. They can be very simple with your name, mailing address, telephone number, cell phone number (fax number is kind of old-fashioned) and email address. If you have a company or consultancy, add your web address. Some business cards have space for a photo. If you use a photo, use a tasteful one. Speaking of e-mail addresses, pick an email address that is businesslike. "Hotstuff1234@xxx.com" may be great, if you're cruising for company, but something more professional will carry weight. Some people recommend that you stay away from AOL or Yahoo mail addresses in favor of GMail. I'd agree. Good manners matter. Your public behavior and good manners must reflect the image you're trying to build for your product, service, and company. We all know the things that grate on us: people who answer their phones during a meeting, text at the dinner table, swear in business conversation, slurp their lattes, talk with their mouths full, dress for a meeting like they just rolled out of bed . the list goes on. Manners and etiquette used to be taught to people through proper parenting, socialization in school, and mentoring. In my first job, which involved working with diplomats and ambassadors, our company had a consultant who taught us "protocol," as it were – which silverware for what course, how to shake hands, how to be "proper," and the cultural differences of the international clientele we'd be working with. I was lucky to have a mentor. When I was a grad student at Yale School of Drama, the late John B. Hightower, former director of the New York State Arts Council and the Museum of Modern Art, taught our class in grantsmanship and fundraising. (He later became my mentor, because we both had gone to Northfield Mount Hermon School). He spent several days teaching us how to network effectively and gracefully. He said basically to "dress, behave, speak and act on the same level as the people you want to associate with." Lessons well learned. Some shortcuts to good manners (in no particular order). Smoking: The short answer, don't. The smell of smoke remains on your breath and clothes, no matter how you try to cover it up. Drinking: It's best to not drink alcohol in front of a client or potential client or employer, unless you are specifically at a cocktail reception. In that case, remain sober, and know your limits. Wardrobe: Always dress for the occasion. Lean on the side of conservative, if you're not sure. You may work at home where shorts and flip-flops are fine. If you're meeting someone at his or her office, dress for business. I seldom wear a shirt and tie to meetings, but in a more formal business meeting, I'll wear a suit with a sweater. Don't over-expose your body, cover the tattoos, and remove body piercings. Dining: If your networking event leads to a meal, remember, generally, the person doing the invite pays, but offer to pay your share. Don't order anything extravagant. Most restaurants place silverware with the outer fork or spoon to be used first. Don't talk with your mouth full, and men, don't remove your jacket, unless the host does. Some foods are definitely finger foods – corn on the cob, artichokes. When you're done, place your used silver on the plate. Chat topics: Keep your conversation non-controversial. Weather, sports, movies, shows, and foods are generally fine, but religion and politics are best discussed only with people you know very well. If it's a business meal, business may be discussed. Be careful not to trash your competition, your own boss, or people you work with. That can shutter a deal. Talking about trends in the marketplace is fine. Making small talk is an important tool to have; doing a blatant sales pitch usually fails. Conversation: Use proper, acceptable English in conversation (or whatever language you are chatting in). Leave the cusswords, swears, and street talk for another time. Language sets the tone of the meeting. You can be informal and inviting while proper. At the end of our etiquette training, Hightower posed a question, "How would you act in this situation? You're at a cocktail party, and I bring Kitty Carlisle Hart (his boss of the time) over to meet you. You're balancing a cigarette, a cocktail, and a small plate of hors d'oeuvre. What do you do?" No one got the answer right. His correct answer: 1) Don't smoke at the party. 2) Hold the drink in your left hand so you can shake hands with your right. 3) Don't circulate with food. Live and learn! Keep that good first impression going After the networking event, take the time to send a short email to the people you met (and hope to meet again) recapping how nice it was to meet them, and say that you hope your paths will cross again soon. If you want to hasten that, invite the person for a subsequent coffee. If someone treated you to a meal or drinks, a hand-written thank you note is always appropriate and appreciated. Handwritten is more personal than something printed on letterhead. You can buy notecards at any supermarket or retail drug store like CVS in the greetings cards section. If you are on LinkedIn, you can also follow up with an invitation to connect. Personalize the invitation template that LinkedIn provides, so you don't appear to be one of those quick point-and-click people. If your Facebook page is business-oriented and not full of what might be considered inappropriate for business postings, you can also "friend" someone. Listed below are some resources to help elevate manners and protocol: Letitia Baldrige's New Complete Guide to Executive Manners (Scribner), www.amazon.com/Letitia-Baldriges-Complete-Executive-Manners/dp/0892563621 . From Entrepreneur.com: 15 Business Etiquette Rules Every Professional Needs to Know, www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/227655 . Etiquette for Corporate Events: http://eventplanning.about.com/od/eventplanningbasics/tp/business-etiquette.htm. Mark G. Auerbach is principal at Mark G. Auerbach Public Relations, a Springfield, Massachusetts-based marketing, public relations, development and events consultancy. Find more info about Mark on Facebook and LinkedIn.