Minisode 19: How to Network: 5 Easy Networking Tips You Can Use Today
๐๐ณ ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ we had a nickel for every time we hear the word โnetworking,โ right, improve it! peeps?
๐Todayโs ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐! ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ is here to help you say ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด to the guesswork (and the awkwardness) of putting yourself out there professionally. ๐
๐ง Press play and listen now. Your next networking event doesnโt even know whatโs comingโฆ
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Erin Diehl is the founder and Chief โYes, Andโ officer of improve it! and host of the improve it! Podcast. Sheโs a performer, facilitator and professional risk-taker who lives by the mantra, โget comfortable with the uncomfortable.โ Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin has created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn and grow. Her work with clients such as United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation earned her the 2014 Chicago RedEye Big Idea Award and has nominated her for the 2015-2019 Chicago Innovations Award.
This graduate from Clemson University is a former experiential marketing and recruiting professional as well as a veteran improviser from the top improvisational training programs in Chicago, including The Second City, i.O. Theater, and The Annoyance Theatre.
When she is not playing pretend or facilitating, she enjoys running and beach dates with her husband and son, and their eight-pound toy poodle, BIGG Diehl.
You can follow the failed it! podcast on Instagram @learntoimproveit and facebook, and you can follow Erin personally on Instagram @keepinitrealdiehl here. You can also check out improve it! and how we can help your organization at www.learntoimproveit.com. We canโt wait to connect with you online!
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Minisode 19 Transcription
Erin (00:00):
Welcome to the Improve It Podcast.
Erin (00:11):
Hello, Improve it! Peeps. Today's minisode is gonna be quick, it's gonna be fresh. We're gonna give you all the tips on how to network like the professional that you are. I wanna start with this word networking. A lot of times the word networking gets the eyeroll, it gets the, Oh, I have to go network. Let me just be clear with this. Just like we are all improvisers. We are all networkers. When you open your mouth to have a conversation with a colleague, with a peer, guess what? That's networking. Think about the jobs that you have had in your lifetime. And I wanna bet I'm not a psychic or somebody who can really see your past or your future, but I am here to say, I bet that you got that job or one of those jobs because of someone you knew.
Erin (01:13):
I look back on my career and every single job, even starting at 15 years old as a girl in the golf cart barn at a country club in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Washing golf clubs was a job that I got because I knew someone at Tama Chanter Country Club in West Bloomfield, Michigan, okay? Literally, every job has led me to find new people, to connect with them, to create a meaningful relationship and to stay in touch with them in some way, shape, or form. And every single door that has been open for me is because of a connection that I've had. I dare to say the same is for you. So networking doesn't have to seem daunting. We don't have to roll our eyes, we don't have to say ugh, and get the armpit sweat and feel really gross about it because we're always networking. So I wanna just share with you five super easy, super tangible tips that are going to make networking seem less daunting.
Erin (02:20):
All right? These are things that you can use and you can implement today in your next meeting, in your next conversation. You don't have to even attend a networking event to make these tips come into play. So here's number one. I've got five easy tips for you. The first one I call be the Nancy Drew. Now, as an elder millennial, I wanna share with you, I read quite a few Nancy Drew books, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, give it a Google. Nancy Drew was a, Oh god, Nancy, what a, what a good, what a good series. Anyway, Nancy drew the person that you're going to connect with if you don't already know them. So let's say you're gonna have a lunch with a vendor or a partner, potential partner, and let's say they're actually selling to you. I still want you to, Nancy Drew, let's say you are on the flip side.
Erin (03:19):
You are trying to connect with somebody and sell your service or product to them. Nancy Drew, there's a beautiful thing called the internet. That's how we're talking right now. My beautiful, beautiful, improve it, pee wherever you are, I am with you. Write that down. The internet allows us to do a quick Google search on LinkedIn, on Instagram, on Facebook, and find people. Now, if the person that you're meeting with does not have any type of social presence, then I want you to find out information about their company. What you're trying to do is find pieces of information that you relate to that you would enjoy talking about so that you can bring it up in that conversation. Maybe it's the college that they went to and your arrival of that football team. I'm a Clemson tiger all the way. And let's say I was researching somebody and found out they went to University of South Carolina or University of Georgia, I would bring it up in the meeting.
Erin (04:22):
It's kind of like, Ugh, I guess we can be friends. But it's a conversation piece. It is something that starts that conversation and then you start talking about your college experience or sports or whatever may come up just by bringing up that tidbit of information. So number one, Nancy Drew the person you are meeting with. All right, Nancy drew it up, or Nate drew, whatever feels right to you. Do your research before you start the meeting or have the conversation. Doesn't have to be formal. Number two, I want you to be fully present. Your presence is a gift. Let me say that again. Your presence is a gift. Have you ever been in a networking scenario or having a meeting with somebody, conversation, what have you, and they're literally looking over your shoulder at the person who just walked in the room and they're waving and nodding and looking at you.
Erin (05:27):
They're smiling and nodding, pretending like they're listening. They're like, Oh my God, Sue said I so, and they're still trying to act like they're involved in the conversation with you. That doesn't feel good. It does not feel good, so don't be the person waving it. Susan, give the gift of your full self. So in a virtual meeting, this is what I want you to do. This is so easy, so easy, and so easy said than done. I want you to take all those beautiful tabs that you have, have open on your computer before you hit go time on that zoom, call our teams meeting and put 'em down. Just close them out. You don't need them. They don't need to be there to distract you. Then I want you to, if you have a standing desk, you can still do this. Put your arms with your palms up and place them on the table in front of you.
Erin (06:24):
So it looks like you're waiting to receive a big tray from the lunchroom cafeteria. All right? You are sitting in this position for a reason. This is a mindset. This is the body language that signals to your brain, I am open, I am here and I am willing to receive, and I'm willing to give you my full undivided attention. Think of it like you're in the lunchroom, and this is, this was my college experience and I really, really loved the pasta in the cafeteria, but the woman serving the pasta just realized that my pants were getting tighter and she wouldn't give me a lot of pasta. Think of it like you're wanting more food, you're wanting more from this conversation. That was the worst analogy I could have given you. But you get the point. I watch your arms open on the table, palms up, so you're not fidgeting with your mouse, you're not fidgeting with your phone, you're not playing with your fidget spinner.
Erin (07:23):
You are literally present and in the moment. Now in person, the same thing exists. Put away your phone. Put away your phone. You can check it periodically. I'm a mom. If I'm not with my kid, I worry about him. But put it away. Do not have it in your hand. Do not have it sitting on the table at the lunch. Put it away and put it on airplane mode if you can. So you are not distracted. You are fully present in that moment. Pretend in that moment that that person sitting across from you has they sign around their neck that says, Make me feel important. And if you are in person and you're sitting and you can do the arms out, palms up, ready to receive body language, it will change the course of that conversation. Number three, the power of one. What do I mean by this?
Erin (08:27):
I want you to go into this conversation cuz that's what these are, are conversations with one takeaway. What is one thing that you want to have happen after this conversation? What is the call to action? What is the next step that you hope this conversation leads to? It could be that you're looking for a partner for an event, and this is what you're hoping to learn is what does this company do? How do they work? That's your one thing. It could be, you know that this person knows somebody else. How can they connect you to this person who would be super beneficial to know in your career? It could be that you want to know their friends because you wanna go to a fun party. I don't know. Have one thing that you want to gain from this conversation in the back of your mind.
Erin (09:26):
I always say the power of one is so impactful in networking scenarios. A lot of the times we think we need things in threes, and that is the case. Lists are pretty fun in threes, blogs are fun to read. Three things. Networking. We have one intention, we have one thing that we want to gain or receive from this conversation. So set that intention, that power of one before you have the conversation. Number four, this may be the most important one, my friends, the most important one. Offer support. Take the word I or me and replace it with you. What do people love to talk about more than anything in this world? Themselves.
Erin (10:27):
Themselves. If you can in that conversation, make that person feel like they are seen, heard, and valued, and if they can walk away from the conversation with a feeling of joy, of excitement, of positive nature, then you will have succeeded. And most oftentimes, that comes by flipping the script and making it less about you and all about them. So in that conversation, talk about connections that you can make that could help that person. Send them a book or talk about a book that you could send them that would be really beneficial for them to read based off the conversation you had. Offer to connect them with somebody in your network. Replace that eye with you and offer your help first.
Erin (11:32):
I used to show up and throw up in a lot of networking scenarios. I would go to talk about my business and ask how they could help me. When I replaced that, let me hear about you and what you do with I know someone who could help you. And how can I do this quickly and efficiently to help you? Everything changed because in that support you are showing that you are a trustworthy person, that you are a capable person, that you care, that you're kind, you're compassionate. And guess what? That's the type of people people want to know. That's the type of people people want to work with. So offer your support first. Replace the eye in the me with the you. And finally, step number five, If I said step number four was the most important, then step number five is like the second.
Erin (12:38):
It's like right up underneath. Step number four as most important follow through is step five, What you talked about in that conversation needs to be sent and followed up with. You know, that conversation piece that we have in corporate America. I'm gonna follow up, I'm gonna circle back, I'm gonna dossy dough, I'm gonna what All those jargony words, which now I say, which I refuse to ever say, but now I say follow up, follow through. Send the conversation to a different level by communicating up. So if you said, Hey, I'm gonna connect you to somebody who I think can benefit you, create that email, create that introduction. Also, the power of a handwritten letter here is so beneficial. I used to do this after the first time meeting somebody, I would send them a handwritten letter and I would send it usually to their office.
Erin (13:36):
Now, most people work from home, so I would send it to their house. But the power of a handwritten note speaks volumes. So write a handwritten and letter and make sure that you stay in touch with that person. Make them feel seen, heard and valued by following up on what you said you would do. This again shows that you're trustworthy. This again shows that you are capable. This again shows that you are a person who does what they say they're going to do. People don't really remember what you say, it's how you make them feel. So if you can take all five of these tips and make them feel like the most important person, the world is gonna change for you. Selfishly, you're gonna feel good because you are giving and you'll be so surprised at how much you receive by just giving of yourself. So just to recap, number one, Nancy Drew, the person you're gonna connect with, be present. Know the power of one, that one thing you wanna get out of the conversation. Offer your support first and then follow through. I hope this helps you. My beautiful improve it peeps, these five easy networking tips that you can use and implement today. As you know, I want you to keep failing. I want you to keep improving because the world needs that very special it that only you can bring. I'll see you here on Wednesday.
Erin (15:20):
Hey friend, did you enjoy today's show? If so, head on over to iTunes to rate and subscribe. So you never miss an episode. Now, did I mention that when you leave a five star review of the improvement podcast, an actual team of humans does a happy dance? Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. That's right. So leave a review for us on iTunes, screenshot it and send me an email at info learn to improve it.com. I'll send you a personalized video back as a thank you. Thanks so much for listening. Improve it pees. I'll see you next Wednesday.