Networking Skills
1
Networking Skills
Course Introduction | Welcome
What According to you is
Networking?
Networking Skills
Course Introduction | Learning Objectives
Networking Basics
Explain the importance of networking in your
role
Describe the communication skills that are
important for networking
Explain the strategies of building and
maintaining networks
Networking Skills
Agenda
Networking Skills Basics
Preparing for Networking
Networking Guidelines
4
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Definition What is Networking?
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Internal and External Networks
Internal External
Networking Networking
• Co-workers • The ‘End Users/Stakeholders’ who
• Peers pay for the products/services and
• Colleagues use them
• Other Departments • Brands and Vendors
• Other Cross-Functional Teams • Ex-employees
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Importance
Importance of Networking Skills
Understand prospective customers and competition
Being resourceful
Seeking help in emergency cases
Improving TAT for bureaucratic procedures or approvals
Gaining more business intel
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Exercise
Recall an incidence when any of the following were achieved due to
good networking you or your superior had?
Understand prospective customers and competition
Being resourceful
Seeking help in emergency cases
Improving TAT for bureaucratic procedures or approvals
Gaining more business intel
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Stages of Networking
01 Research
02 Approach
Stages
of
Networking
03 Reconnect
04 Follow-Up
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Stages of Networking
01 Research
Research
Research enables you to identify key things and key people
with whom you would be working.
02
Stages The more information you gather about people you work
of with, the more it will be helpful. For internal networks,
Networking knowing about past experiences, educational
backgrounds, trainings gaps, performance etc., you will be
03 able to handle the team and know the team better.
Knowing about past performance, communication
preferences and history, challenges etc. for external
networks is helpful in building your relationship.
04
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Stages of Networking
01
02 Approach
Approach
Stages
Of You should try to understand the communication
Networking preferences and frequency with all your networks.
Be approachable and seek help without hesitation
03 as and when needed.
04
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Stages of Networking
01
02 Engage
Stages Establish regular formal and informal ways of
Of communication with all networks irrespective of any
Networking emergency. Proactively set up
daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly status calls to ensure
03 Reconnect engagement with all stakeholders.
04
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Stages of Networking
01
Follow Up
02
• Say thank you: Thank them for their time in meeting
Stages with you, and for the information they shared.
Of • Give a results update: If someone gave you advice, let
Networking them know what you did with it.
• Offer an interesting article: Pick something about their
03 industry and company, and it shows you are on top of
news that matters to them.
• Simply Say Hello
04 Follow Up
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Exercise
Consider you have been transferred to a new store and you want to know the
nearby resQ center staff to monitor delivery and customer complaint related
information. How will you build this network using the stages of networking?
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Types of Networks
Personal Professional Strategic Social
Networks Networks Networks Networks
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Types of Networks
1. This consists of colleagues, peers.
2. Professional networks are based on common work interests
Professional
and tasks in the world of long-term care, and are about
Networks
what people know. Increases opportunities to learn.
3. They can be internal or external, such as professional
network organisations.
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Types of Networks
1. This consists of cross functional contacts.
2. Strategic Networks will help in dealing with certain specific
Strategic
issues. For example, contact with different brands, internal
Networks
category people for discount related issues.
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Types of Networks
1. This consists of your family, friends, and close associates.
Personal 2. You usually choose these types of networks through mutual
Networks interests, liking, and long-term connections.
3. Personal networks are more social than other types of
networks, and are based on exchange of help and support.
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Types of Networks
1. Use of WhatsApp to create work/task related groups is common.
2. Avoid using social networks for addressing or resolving customer
Social complaints without confirming the social media policy of our
Networks company.
3. If any customers reach out to you personally on social media,
direct them to the appropriate authority.
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Identifying Your Networks
Internal
Store resQ
HO DC
Staff Staff
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Identifying Your Networks
External
Brand Ex-
Customers Vendors
Teams Employees
Networking Skills
Networking Skills Basics | Activity
Activity
What’s Your Plan?
Networking Skills
Agenda
Networking Skills Basics
Preparing for Networking
Networking Guidelines
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Networking Skills
Preparing for Networking | Guidelines
Some important guidelines to help grow your network:
Examine the Identify opportunities
existing network to network
Networking Skills
Preparing for Networking | Guidelines
Examine the
existing network
Analyse your existing network for strong contacts, and for weak links or missing links. Accordingly,
prioritize efforts to look for correct contacts to expand your network.
Networking Skills
Preparing for Networking | Guidelines
Identify opportunities
to network
Some common opportunities for networking:
1. Regular formal and informal calls
2. In person meetings
3. Conferences and events
4. Connect through mutual contacts/interests
5. Annual meets/gatherings
Networking Skills
Preparing for Networking | Exercise
You plan to exceed your productivity sales targets for the next big day
by x%. How will you leverage your internal and external networks to
make the required arrangements?
Networking Skills
Agenda
Networking Skills Basics
Preparing for Networking
Networking Guidelines
28
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Barriers to Networking
Common obstacles of networking
Given the complex relationships that come from networking, these are some common obstacles you should expect.
1. Being an introvert or dealing with an introvert
Obstacle: For introverts not comfortable communicating with people they don’t know,
networking can be difficult. For example, how do you start a conversation with a new brand
manager?
Solution: It’s important to remember that every friend you have was once a stranger.
Remember this and you can approach people as if you are looking for a new friend. Offer
your name and what you do and ask them an opening question such as “Have you been to
any of our stores before?”. This will get you talking and will remove any barriers or
insecurities you might be having.
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Barriers to Networking
2. Fear of embarrassment
Obstacle: Sometimes it’s not the ‘not knowing someone’ that’s the problem. Instead it’s
the ‘knowing someone’. This fact can lead to the fear that you’ll embarrass yourself.
Solution: Start with a compliment, and then explain why you’d like to start a
conversation. (It’s one thing to know a person, but it’s another to understand how
exactly you could work together to bring benefit to both you and them.)
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Barriers to Networking
3. Retaining information
Obstacle: At any meeting where you speak to a range of different people, remembering
who’s who can be a challenge. Too often you can lose track of high value contacts.
Solution: After each capture the information you found relevant and describe the
contact in enough detail to ensure you maintain a connection.
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Exercise
You notice that the brand manager of a brand is reluctant to coordinate with you for
the next quarter’s targets. He says his brand has been performing low in your store
for past few months, but is doing great in another local competitor’s store.
How will you decide your approach and networking strategy with this band manager?
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Networking Etiquette
Let’s understand some dos and don’ts regarding networking.
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Networking Etiquette
The first key to good networking etiquette is to be mindful of other people’s
time. Be respectful of those who have the potential to help you. Their time
is valuable to them, so it is critical that your communications are brief and
to the point.
Always remember to say please and thank you. Also consider that you might
be able to help someone out in return.
If you receive a lead from someone send them a thank you note. Even if the
lead doesn’t amount to anything, letting them know you appreciate their
help will keep you in their thoughts in case something else comes up.
If you promise to provide someone with information about an upcoming
event or agree to some other favor, be sure to get back to them.
Networking is a two way street. You have to give to get.
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Networking Etiquette
When networking in person or via telephone, don’t talk while eating.
Do not check text messages or emails, do not prefer answering calls unless
they are absolutely urgent. It is better to shut your ringer off or put your
phone on vibrate. If you do have to take a priority call, be sure to say excuse
me before you answer and step away from the area.
Cutting someone off when they are in the middle of speaking is not only
annoying, but also extremely rude. Wait for your turn before speaking.
Do not enter into a discussion or thread with the sole intention of
promoting yourself without providing valuable information or content.
Networking Skills
Networking Guidelines | Managing First Impression
It takes just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time.
Following are a few tips to create a good impression while networking Face to Face:
Be on Present yourself Share your visiting card, Have a positive attitude
Time appropriately phone number, email ID and pleasant personality
Be Open Be Positive Use Small
Be Courteous
& Confident Talk
& attentive
Video link for 1st impression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W5JNZBFA1M
Networking Skills
Ready to Network | Behavioural Tips
Be mindful of the way you talk and the body language while networking. Use the following tips
Behavioural Tips
• It is important to always be polite and respectful of everyone even if you
Be polite disapprove of certain comments
• Remember to always have an empathetic tone towards your team. Don’t
Mind your tone be rude or transactional while talking.
• Make eye contact. This shows that you’re interested, polite and respectful
Maintain eye contact of the other person
• Even when you are speaking on the phone, smile because your positive
Maintain a positive attitude attitude will shine through and the other person will know it. When you
smile often and exude a positive attitude, people will respond positively to
you.
• Always pause before you speak. Take a moment and pay close attention to
Think before you speak what you say and how you say it. This one habit will allow you to avoid
embarrassments.
Thank You!
