By Marlo Boux of Boux Small Business Coaching
see original post on risingwomen.com
High touch...what does it mean, and why should you care? The term high touch, coined by futurist John Nesbett in the eighties, refers to having human interactions, a personal element or a personal touch. In a world where nearly everything is high tech and automated (or is well on its way to being as such) it is a breath of fresh air to have some ‘old-fashioned’ human-to-human contact. So how does this translate into business networking?
Well, if you attend a networking function in the flesh, you are part way there by having face-to-face interactions. But let’s take it a step beyond just showing up and inject a real personal touch in how you network with others.
I will assume that as a business person, you are aware of the networking basics:
- Having quality business cards on hand
- Crafting a laser-focused 10 to 30 second business message
- Dressing appropriately for the event
- Having a great handshake
These topics will not be addressed any further in this article. What I am about to suggest will turn the typical networking objective on its head. Most of us go to networking events to “get our name out there”, generate leads and build business relationships. Instead of going to an event with a “how will this benefit me” attitude, walk into the event asking “how could my knowledge, resources and contacts benefit my fellow networkers?” This requires a really authentic shift in your motivation.
Listen - When moving from conversation to conversation, ask thoughtful questions and listen to what your peers are saying. Don’t interrupt or start formulating your next thought while they are speaking. You will miss out on nuggets of information that will tell you how you can add value to their business or personal lives. Ask great follow-up questions to get clarification and show genuine interest in them and what they have to say. Focus your attention on their message - both the verbal and non-verbal cues they provide.
Add Value to Their Business - If you know of a useful resource, have a great contact, or have access to some other information that may make their life easier, take special note of this at the end of your conversation and write it down. When you take the time to do something thoughtful for a fellow entrepreneur, you are more likely to be remembered positively by that person - and not just memorable, being “memorable” can carry negative connotations too - you will be remembered and regarded as thoughtful and genuine.
Read On
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