Guest Article By Robert Bagley
US Christian Chamber Member Robert Bagley shares this excerpt from his latest business mini-book, The 10 Commandments of Strategic Networking, How To ‘Up Your Networking Game’ With Career and Business-Building Results:
Networking is a valuable skill that can help you establish connections, build relationships, and open doors to new opportunities. As a Christian in the marketplace, networking skills are very important. While cold-calling, email and social media marketing, and lead generation of all kinds will always be important tools to gain more business, networking has a very important role to play in one’s career for numerous reasons.
This article drills down on Commandment #3 – Thou Shall…
Be Approachable and Friendly:
Approach networking with a positive attitude. Smile, make eye contact, and show genuine interest in others. Be open to conversation and make an effort to listen to others intently during your engagements.
Being approachable and friendly can help you make a memorable impression and is one of the most important qualities of a successful business networker. When you are approachable and friendly, people are more likely to want to talk to you and get to know you. This makes it easier for you to build relationships, which is essential for networking success.
Let’s look a little closer at the benefits of being approachable and friendly as a business networker:
- People are more likely to talk to you. When you are approachable and friendly people feel more comfortable coming up to you and starting a conversation. This gives you more opportunities to meet new people and expand your network.
- People are more likely to remember you. When you make a positive impression on someone, they are more likely to remember you. This is important because people are more likely to do business with people they know and like.
- People are more likely to trust you. This is important because trust is essential for building strong relationships.
Here are a few more tips on how to be approachable and friendly:
- Smile. A smile is one of the simplest and most effective ways to make yourself more approachable. When you smile, you show people that you are friendly and open to talking. Also, accompany your smile with tools like mints and a toothpick to ensure a fresh, clean smile.
- Firm handshake. Don’t have a limp, dead fish handshake, make it a firm grip as it shows confidence and intentionality.
- Make eye contact – yes, this keeps popping up, but always worth repeating at any juncture. Eye contact shows people that you are interested in them and what they have to say. It also helps to build rapport.
- Be yourself and let your personality shine through. People can tell when you are being fake, so it is important to be genuine.
- Offer your help and support to others, even if it is something small. This shows that you are a caring and supportive person. Remember, everyone’s favorite radio station is WIIFM (What’s In It For Me).
- Dress for success! I always strive to be the best-dressed man in the room. When you do this, it shows that you care, and you set the tone of the room when you walk in. I call this,
“Being the Thermostat and Not the Thermometer.”
This is a personal brand-builder fundamental that cannot be overemphasized. It’s also the law of attraction that will super-charge your approachability.
In summary, being approachable and friendly is one of the most important things you can do as a business networker. By following these tips you can make yourself more approachable and build stronger relationships with other business professionals.
I encourage you to think of being approachable and friendly as a sure proof way to attract positive energy and opportunities into your life. When you put out good energy, you will get it back in return.
Personal Example:
After a networking event in Orlando, a young gentleman I had never met came up to me and said, “When I saw you during the event, I knew I needed to come up and meet you!” He complimented my attire and demeanor, and he ended up being a great photographer who I subsequently hired to do some work for my business and my personal brand.
You never know who you will attract. BE A MAGNET!
