Business Networking Course

Business Networking Course Programme

We tailor all our courses to reflect the needs of the delegates on the day. The course content may include many of the exercises listed below, and any additional material that the trainers feel is relevant.

Introduction to Impact Factory

Our approach will be to build on the strengths people already have and their successes. It is easier to develop what you already have than to try and develop skills that do not come easy. Being yourself is the most effective tool for business networking and building relationships.

We will also look at what they like most about Networking and least.

Networking - What gets in the way?

Here we will look specifically at what gets in the way of people being more effective Networkers: what the pitfalls are, where they feel wrong-footed.

Communication Dynamics in Networking

We look at how communication works: the emphasis here is on face-to-face communication and what actually happens, whether the communication is done well or poorly.

We extrapolate what people already know about the dynamics of communication and how it works. Here we 'unpick' all the elements that go into effective communication and explain to people how they can be more in charge of the communication dynamic.

The Power of the Listening Networker

A short pairs exercise that powerfully illustrates how body language can communicate more than words during face-to-face communication.

This is our first tangible example of how the very smallest change can have a very big impact.

Assumptions when Networking

It is impossible not to make assumptions. However, it is often the case that people make things up (assumptions) and then act as though they are true. This exercise will look at some of the assumptions people made about the facilitators and how they made them.

Here people can talk about some of the right or wrong assumptions they have made about their clients.

We will then look at the obvious assumptions people make around Business Networking events. We look at ways to use assumptions to open a conversation, find common ground and clear up misunderstandings.

Seeing Business Networking through your prospective clients' eyes

Using a series of visuals we explore the idea that everyone sees the world differently. Not only does everyone see the world differently, everyone thinks their view is the right one, and can't understand when someone does something that is so completely different from their own way of doing things.

The real skill is being able to see the world from someone else's vantage point and deal with it from that place. Not only do we see the world differently, but a piece of the picture to you may be the whole picture to someone else.

Here we will also look at situations where differing terms of reference caused confusion or misunderstanding with clients.

Meeting and Greeting at a Business Networking Event

How to make the first move and ensure that you get that business card.

Meeting new people can be daunting and it can seem very pushy to ask for a business card. In this group of exercises, we'll look at how you can move in and out of groups with ease and speed, whilst still managing to make contact with those that matter.

In business networking situations, it is important that you honour your own style. There are many ways to approach people and we will look at which style will work for you.

Asking for that business card can feel awfully forward, but here we'll look at different ways that it can be done, avoiding the humiliation factor - a key point and issue in Impact Factory work.

We know that a big part of Business Networking happens around social events, conferences, etc. Sometimes the prospect of meeting people, making conversation, interrupting other people's conversations, etc., can seem quite daunting. Here we look at physical boundaries, how they work and how knowing that can make the process far more fluid and less awkward.

Approaching complete strangers and introducing yourself

Group exercise, which demonstrates how physical boundaries work and how even the shyest person can greet people well.

Socialising: joining and leaving groups easily

Another group exercise which shows how easy it is to join and leave groups seamlessly, to 'glad-hand' and pass people on.

Making a Good First Impression

A group exercise where participants get to choose a number of 'first impressions' they could make and practise to see just what effect each impression has on other people.

Business Networking 'Etiquette'

Business Networking events have a common goal and theme for everyone - to meet people who might be useful to you. The best networkers, however, follow certain unwritten rules of business networking etiquette, which might include things like:

• Use silence and pauses to good effect
• Making it relevant
• Looking for the needs
• Listen for unspoken needs
• Knowledge of their business
• Self-disclosure 

The use of Status when Networking

Quite simply, the best exercise we have ever created to help with a whole variety of issues

• Gaining confidence
• Effective influencing
• Feeling and behaving more assertively
• Communicating upwards
• Not being manipulated
• Setting clear boundaries for others 

The kind of status we are looking at here is what we call 'situational status' rather than hierarchical. Everyone changes their behaviour according to the situations they find themselves in: sometimes they feel more confident, sometimes less. Often with people who are perceived experts or authorities, we tend to give them a higher status and ourselves low status. This series of exercises instantly helps people raise their confidence and approach in these situations.

We start with two short very light-hearted group exercises, which demonstrate how to deliberately raise and lower your status and change the impression you make.

We then have a longer exercise, which looks at how to use status to manage a variety of business networking situations.

Working to your Networking Strengths: It's You They 'Buy'

Everyone to give a brief description of what they already do that they know works about them. This is also to include how they think others see them and the feedback they received from someone they trust.

They then receive input from the rest of the group on what they see what works about them. This is for people to identify their individual styles. Knowing the impact you have on people is an important part of building effective relationships and becoming an ace Business Networker.

30 Second Influencer

Getting a message across clearly and in a short and punchy style. This is a model we know can help people cut out the waffle and padding so they can get to the point and yet make the message relevant to the person receiving it.

This is particularly effective when someone is in a potential networking situation but they have a minimum of time in which to make their pitch.

Business Networking Rehearsals

An opportunity to practise typical Networking scenarios based on participants' own experience. We will use the techniques from the work of the Business Networking Course (and perhaps more!) to look at more effective outcomes.

Personal Business Networking Take Out: Summing up

People will give a presentation on what they are taking away from the session

• What they know they will use
• What they could do differently
• Opportunities to practice

Delegates have the opportunity to take home hand-outs used during the course.

They also have access to a course web page containing

• Handouts used during the course
• New supportive material
• Impact Factory PDF documents
• Recommended reading
• Links to our favourite videos
• Photos of the day

to help further their progress.

Business Networking Course