Cambridge Chamber of Commerce

Business is built on relationships and networking is a key tool to make that happen.

 

But walking into a room filled with strangers can be very a daunting task, says Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Greg Durocher.

 

“The whole trick to networking is understanding what you’re doing,” he says. “You’re not there to make a sale. You’re there to start building relationships because people prefer to do business with others they know, like and trust.”

 

The Chamber Social, held monthly at a various Members’ businesses, is a great place to build those relationships providing the commitment is there to attend often.

“It’s very much like learning to swim. You don’t learn just by jumping in the pool; you have to continually jump in, and it can be scary,” says Greg. “But the more you do it the more comfortable you become.”

 

He says by approaching a networking event as way to discover how you can help others can lead to success.

 

“It might just be offering a recommendation to help them solve a problem and that in itself is doing business. It’s not about being the salesperson, because you’re not selling a product or service, it’s about selling yourself and building a relationship to the point where people will start wanting to do business with you.”

 

To assist, Greg recommends attending networking events using a tag team approach.

“Tag teams are really important, especially for people who feel a little bit nervous if they’re attending an event where they don’t know many people.”

 

He says having a comfortable backup will not only give them someone to chat with, but also makes it easier to circulate at an event.

 

As well, Greg says having a good supply of business cards on hand – in pockets and the car - is vital.

 

“Having a business card is the authorization you’re giving people to collect the data that’s important to make contact with you,” he says, noting digital cards which utilize a QR code are also good to have. “The only problem with a digital business card is that people have to remember who it was they were speaking with and if they forget your name, it may take time to search it out.”

 

But when it comes to networking, Greg says ‘repeat, repeat and repeat’ is a must in terms of attendance to build a strong foundation of trust.

 

“You want to be that one person in the room that virtually everybody knows,” he says. “When you become the person they know, like and trust, that’s going to be your new salesforce because they are the ones who will be referring you and recommending you to others which makes good business sense.”

 

Put your networking skills to the test at our next Chamber Social which is at Staples, The Business Depot on Monday, Feb. 13 from 5-6:30 p.m

 

 

Networking tips:

  • Introduce yourself by name and give them your card.
  • Make your card memorable, but easy to read.
  • Tag-teammates introduce you to people you don’t know but they do, and they get their network working for you too.
  • Tag-teammates help one another and keep an eye out. If one is trapped in a conversation or left high and dry, the other can come to their aid.
  • Tag-teammates can sing your praises much better than you can. It’s hard for you to launch into a story about yourself.
  • Use your teammates name in conversation, this ensures everyone remembers their name.
  • If your teammate doesn’t introduce someone to you, use ‘step forward rescue’ and stick out your hand and introduce yourself.
  • When you enter a room of strangers, stop, and take your time, look around for the best opportunities, friendly groups, wallflowers and or acquaintances.
  • Front of the room is the place to meet people or start a group.
  • Approach networking by thinking about what you can do for someone else.
  • Establish eye contact, extend a dry, warm hand, exchange cards, engage in conversation (weather, game)
  • Great networkers work on building relationships and are known for being there.
  • Keep track of events, and the number of contacts you make.  Set goals of events and contacts.
  • Just being there isn’t enough, remember, you to need to exchange info. Be entertaining and informative.
  • To be a good networker, you need be someone who’s good at following up.
  • You need to learn something about people before you can discover what you can do for them. Ask questions, check their website, and talk with others.

 

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