3 Easy Networking Questions
to Stand Out from the Crowd
Brian Hillard, Guest Author
Part 2 of 2
Question #2: "What do you like best about what you do?"
This next one is actually a follow up to the old "What do you do?" question that I've personally been asked 1.5 million times.
(Slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.)
If you've been out networking before you already know that "What do you do?" is one of the first questions people ask you. Which isn't a bad
thing necessarily, but it just doesn't leave you too much room to maneuver after you've both answered the question.
In other words, after I tell you what I do, and you tell me what you do, the conversation can sometimes feel like it's coming to a stop as
both of you rack your brains to figure out what to say next.
But with this next question I'm going to share with you, you don't have to worry about that.
If someone tells you they own a local area print shop, you can follow up by saying,
"Hmmmm, that's interesting. What do you like best about owning your own shop?"
Or if they told you they were a salesperson, you could ask, "What do you like best about being in sales?"
You see how this gets the conversation going in a direction that's a lot more interesting than:
"So what do you do?"
"I'm a salesperson."
"Oh, I own a print shop."
[Pause, for what seems like forever but is actually a good 4 seconds.]
Now you're talking about what they enjoy most about their busines... whatever that may be. And you notice how you're still talking about them
and what they do.
You're just approaching it from an angle that no one else in the room has done. (There are very few things in life you can guarantee, but take
my word on this one.) And when you talk about making a connection and standing out from the crowd, this question is a homerun.
One caveat though: About half the time I ask this question, people turn it right around and ask me the same thing. So if you find yourself in a
similar situation, make sure you're prepared with a good response.
Just as an example, let's say you were a Public Relations Consultant. If someone asked what you liked best about being in PR you might say,
"Well to be honest with you, I really enjoy helping clients get the word out about their business in ways they might not have previously thought
about. A lot of times when people think 'public relations' their first thought is of a big time Madison Avenue office and the exorbitant retainer
fees that come with it.
"But for me, that's not how we operate. We help entrepreneurs get more business through print and radio media - without them spending an arm and
a leg while doing it. And I can't tell you how satisfying that is."
You see how I raised some issues, answered his question, and explained how I was different than others in the industry? And if that person was
thinking about using a PR firm, or knew someone else who might want to, then you've gone a long way towards setting the stage for a possible referral.
Question #3: "I know you mentioned earlier that you were in [industry]. What got you started
in that direction?"
This is a great question that I use towards the end of the conversation, and of the three questions we've talked about, this usually elicits the
longest response. Why?
Because you're asking about their reasons, their passion, their motivation for being in this business in the first place. I've had people tell
me all sorts of things when I've asked this question. One guy told me that he was laid off from a big company, started his own consulting business
out of the spare bedroom and never looked back. You just never know what you might hear.
Remember, everyone has a story. You just want to know what it is.
The Bottom Line
Asking the right questions is about earning trust and gaining rapport with your new contact. It's about them feeling comfortable telling you
about their business, without competing with you for "airtime".
But most of all, asking the right questions is about developing a relationship with a future Referral Partner, so they'll be more than happy
to give you any referral which might come their way.
Copyright © - Brian Hillard - Reprinted with permission.
Brian Hilliard is a motivational speaker, consultant, and author of the book
Networking Like a Pro! As founder of Atlanta based Agito Consulting, Brian
specializes in providing individuals with actionable techniques they can use right away.
Brian has also published a CD entitled, "How to Talk So Others Will Listen," and he's best known for
delivering dynamic, thought-provoking sessions that keep people coming back.
To learn more, please visit our website at www.AgitoConsulting.com.
Click on a book cover or book title link to place an order
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