Every successful business owner understands the value of relationships.
The best way to meet new people and cultivate existing relationships is to actively network with other entrepreneurs.
Networking events are ideal for building professional relationships, but many will agree that starting conversations at these events – even with like-minded people who have common goals – can sometimes feel awkward.
When launching into a conversation with a professional you’ve just met, you will want to steer clear of a few taboo topics: try not to talk about yourself too much too early on in the conversation, and definitely refrain from jumping into a full-blown sales pitch. Also, it’s generally a good idea to not talk about religion or politics.
What you want to do when you’ve just met someone new at a networking event is to find some common ground and find out if there is potential for a professional relationship.
You can do this by asking open-ended questions that require more than a simple “yes” or “no” answer. This way, you can find out something meaningful about the person you’re talking to and your conversation won’t run out of steam in less than 10 seconds, giving way to the dreaded “awkward pause.”
Here are a few open-ended questions you can ask people you meet at networking events to get the conversations rolling:
Talk about them
A sure-fire way to engage someone in conversation and learn more about them is to blatantly ask them about themselves. They’ll be relieved to talk about a subject they know well and honored that you’d be so interested to ask about them.
This is a great way show you’re a considerate business person and don’t be too surprised if they return the good gesture and follow-up by asking you to talk about yourself.
Don’t put them on the spot by simply asking, “Tell me about yourself.” Honestly, people hate being asked this. Be more specific so that the conversation flows. Ask them questions like:
“What type of business do you run?”
“How long have you been doing this work?”
“What’s the best part of your job?”
“Who are your ideal clients and where do you normally find them?”
At some point, once you’ve got a good idea about their business, you might even go a bit further and offer to connect them with a person or resource that could help them grow their business.
Talk about the event
Finding common ground with someone you’ve just met at a networking event is not that hard. You already have at least one thing in common right off the bat: you’ve attended the same event!
So you can confidently ask:
“How did you find out about this event?”
“How do you know the organizer of this event?”
“What did you think about the speaker?”
“What do you think about this venue?”
“What do you think of the coffee?”
“How does this event compare to other events you’ve attended recently?”
Talk about being an entrepreneur
Remember that being an entrepreneur automatically separates you from regular “nine-to-five” people. It’s like you belong in a special club that only a few people can get into.
Talking about the business of being in business is automatically interesting. Leverage this.
Ask your fellow business owners about how they tackle the day-to-day challenges that come with the entrepreneurial lifestyle…
“What kind of time management tricks do you use?”
“What software do you use for invoicing?”
“I’m looking for a good printer, bookkeeper, cleaner, trainer… can you recommend anyone? Why do you prefer them?”
“How do you fire a client?”
“How do you find good subcontractors?”
Talk about work-life balance…
“How do you make quality time for your kids?”
“What workout regimes do you find most impactful?”
“How do you manage to eat healthy when you’re on the road all the time?”
Talk about your favorite books, authors, and speakers. Talk about a recent blog or video you recently saw on social media that you found inspiring.
“Did you read that articles in Entrepreneur, Inc., Forbes, etc.?”
“Have you seen that TED Talk where…”
“I heard that Guy Kawasaki is coming to town to speak, are you going?”
Above all, just be yourself and have fun meeting new people. Remember that the people you are meeting are in exactly the same situation that you’re in, so there’s no reason to be nervous!
