Have you ever heard the term social butterfly? Did you know that their skills help you to power up your network and share your work easily? Here you can read 7 secrets from a social butterfly on how to develop your networking skills.
A social butterfly is a slang term for a person who is socially dynamic, networking, charismatic and personally gregarious. Maybe some of us are born to be a social butterfly, but everybody can learn some tricks and tips from them. What makes a social butterfly a good company at an event? They easily reach out; easily start a conversation and easily fill the awkward silence - so people feel comfortable in their company and that is the key element. When we meet a social butterfly and look back to the event, we might not remember the details, not even the topics of the conversations sometimes, but we remember how we felt in that situation and that’s their strengths.
As an Alumni Network Hungary member you studied in the heart of Europe, you had a vibrant, cultural life and then you returned home or to another country. Maybe you arranged a local alumni network to keep contact with us and your friends, but it’s worthy to know that it is just one aspect, another is the membership of a glocal network. A glocal network broadens your own and local groups into an international community, where you can ‘show’ your local results or seek support or advice to manage yours at home. This is essential to strengthen your community-building skills. Those skills do not just help you to enlarge your own groups but widen your focus and own commitment to our alumni network.
You surely heard that before: “You can never have the second chance to have a first impression.” We used to say that the first meeting is very important and then scientific researches narrowed down our judgements and the latest result is: 1/10 second – revealed by the Princeton psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov. It is literally the blink of an eye or likewise when a butterfly flies away from the flowers.
So what can we do in 1/10 second to make a good impression on someone? Clearly, it is not a timeframe for a breath-taking pitch, but we can still work on that 1/10 second.
1st – KNOW YOUR AIMS! We are continuously networking, but usually it’s unconscious. The first step is to clarify your goals, what you want to achieve and why you need to get to know new people. What can you offer and what do you want to get?
2nd – BE PREPARED AND CHECK THE INFORMATION! Remember? The blink of an eye! So, how can you get prepared for that moment? The Co-founder of Sport 1 Marketing and business coach, David Meltzer says ”when you walk into a room, you want people to feel and know that you provide value and can be of service. Also that you're radically humble and can ask for help. Networking will be easier if you have a simplified approach to your interactions or connections.”
Check the relevant information about the event, who the organizer or speaker is, who will be there. Do you already know some of the attendees? Check the available information on social media sites, you might have common friends or common interests which could be a starting point.
3rd – LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE! Speaking to well-known people, staying around the familiar faces, sticking to one cozy spot is understandable and very human, but it rarely brings new energy to our network. Of course, if the aim is to strengthen the already existing ties that is fine, but even then it is good to have at least a little challenge. Get to know at least one new person.
4th – ASK A GOOD QUESTION AND BE A LISTENER! According to Balance Carriers’ article these two skills will impress new contacts and potential clients even more than your best business statistics. Good listening validates the value of others and shows respect. Asking thoughtful questions shows sincerity and builds trust because it actively shows an interest in someone else's opinions and thoughts. Good questions follow good listening and accomplish two very important things: it shows you are listening and interested enough to ask a question and it keeps the conversation going in the direction you choose.”
5th – BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK! Because people will likely ask about what you do, it's helpful to have in mind at least three interesting or compelling talking points about your business. When compiling these talking points, focus on those things that make you and your work most unique and keep it concise. The goal is to be interesting and memorable, but not to give a monolog. Your talking points can help your partner to ask concrete questions about your work and you seem a prepared and purposeful person whom they remember.
6th – ORGANIZE INFORMATION! The advice would be that, while you evaluate the event and your networking activity at home, make notes for yourself. Who were there? How was the conversation? Did you offer to send them something, e.g. an interesting article on their research topic? Labels (or tags) help you navigate the type of people you want to follow up with. These are searchable terms used to find contacts quickly based on a term.
7th – TAKE CARE OF YOUR CONNECTIONS! Don't wait for the other one to move. Be entrepreneurial! Send the article you promised, a thank you note or what is relevant for your new connection. Without being too pushy, you can invite them to the next professional event you organize, give them meaningful information about their interest, follow their carrier and don't forget to congratulate them on their successes.
Now you got some tricks and have a bigger picture of how to enlarge your communities. Would you like to practice what you’ve learned? Follow our Facebook page or create a group in our alumni portal (you need to be a member first) and find out more.