10 Questions for Effective Networking

Many networking opportunities are lost through failing to establish how and when to keep in touch.

The following questions are designed to ensure you have a clear, agreed follow up. They also result in you spending most of the conversation listening to a potential client tell you how you can help them!

1. What prompted you to come here?
   Opens the conversation and encourages a relaxed, friendly discussion
   
   
2. Why is that important?
   Gives clues as to priorities and concerns.
   
   
3. What is going well for you this year?
   Focusing on the positive encourages openness and helps build rapport
   
   
4. What difference is that making?
   Starts to delve deeper and reveal where they want to be
   
   
5. If there was anything you could change, what would it be?
   Reveals issues and challenges faced – and therefore how you can help
   
   

6. What difference would that make?
   Encourages them to tell you how valuable you could be
   
   

7. If that was happening, what would you be seeing?
   Helps clarify and visualise the difference you could make
   
   
8. If I could help you with that, would you be interested?
   Gives confidence that their goals can be achieved with your help
   
   
9. Who else do you know that I should be talking to?
   This is the best time to ask whether they can refer you to someone else
   
   
10. How do we go about doing that?
    Gives them the initiative to manage the introduction

Most importantly – establish a firm commitment to communicate again and follow up within 48 hours of meeting to keep the momentum.

John Niland runs “The Outstanding Professional” and “The Outstanding Independent” development programmes, whose graduates have achieved dramatic increases in productivity and visibility.

You are welcome to a no-obligation ‘taster’ session. To schedule, email

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