Clarify your Business Networking Message

So, you have joined your local Athena networking group – business networking at its best!
You attend every month and deliver your ‘monthly minute’.
You visit Cappuccino Connections. You have met many women in business.
Do people really understand what you do and more specifically, what you can do for them and their contacts?
Is your message clear? Does it grab the attention? Does it elicit the response – ‘tell me more’?
One of the best books I have read on the networking message is ‘The Jelly Effect’ by Andy Bounds.
Andy’s mother was blind so he spent his formative years explaining everything he saw in intricate detail to her. He also developed the almost total blindness his mother suffered from and has had to rely on others taking the time to describe everything they see to him.
He has therefore learnt to communicate with much greater clarity than sighted people and has some excellent tips to share.
It is so easy to assume that people understand what we do and to give just minimal information on our business offerings.
Because we ‘assume’ they understand, they can feel uneasy about asking us more questions and go away with only a vague idea of what we can do for them and their contacts.
It is important to give them just a little relevant information which will then entice them to say ‘tell me more’.
Look on your opening statement as an appetiser, something to tickle the taste buds and a precursor to the main message.
I am seeing more and more evidence of this from ‘serious’ business networkers. e.g. A PR Consultant will no longer just say ‘I am a PR Consultant’ – they will say something like – ‘I help people to raise their profile and get themselves and their business noticed’ -it immediately makes you ask – ‘how do you do that?’
So think carefully about what you offer and how you can dangle the carrot that will elicit the golden question – ‘tell me more’.
There are some fabulous communication experts within the Athena Network, business women who can really help you to get your networking message clear. Look out for them on Athena Connect or ask your Athena Regional Director to introduce you to the best communicators in her region I would urge you to do this at the start of your business networking journey so that you are as effective as possible from day one.
Too many people waste their first months of networking by not thinking through their core message and therefore not attracting the connections that will secure their future success.
We all have only one chance to make that vital first impression so do make sure you are remembered for all the right reasons!
In the Athena Network, we are committed to helping business women to be as successful as they can possibly be. All our Regional Directors provide a half day FREE business networking training for every member.
One of the key elements of the training is your ‘monthly minute’ (your elevator pitch or 60 seconds) – whatever you choose to call it. We know how important it is to get your message right from the very start of your networking journey and you will leave the training with a carefully planned, prepared and practiced ‘monthly minute’ which will get you noticed and remembered.
This training has proved invaluable to the business women in our network, many of whom have experienced a considerable return on their investment within the first few months of joining Athena.
Testimonial from an Athena member–
‘My first ever networking meeting was with Athena and as a result of that meeting I gained enough business from one client to pay for the membership and monthly lunches for the whole year. One and a half years on and I am still working for that same client and have a contract with him for at least the next 3 years.’ – undisputed proof that networking works! S.H.

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