5 Keys to an Effective Collaboration
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
-Helen Keller
By Ly Smith
Ly Smith
You’ve taken the time to attend a network event, make conversation, and create some connections. What’s next? Here are 5 suggested steps to keep the conversation going.
1. Follow up within 24-48 hours of the event with a:
Phone call: Hello, Name of Contact, I had the pleasure of meeting you at Name of Networking Event and I would like to continue the conversation with a coffee date, lunch, or a phone call. Offer a couple of days and times and request the best choice for their convenience.
Follow the phone call with a text: Hello, Name of Contact, I just left you a voicemail and thought I would send a text notification as well. Provide the same details you mentioned in the voicemail.
Lastly, send an email: Hello, Name of Contact, I just left you a voicemail and sent a text. In the event that email is the best mode of connecting, I figured I would continue our conversation here. Again, provide the same details you mentioned in the voicemail and text.
It takes a minimum of 7 touches to break through the noise a contact may face daily. It is recommended to start with these three, wait for 48 hours, then repeat. With so many distractions and interruptions, the contact may see only one of these modes of communication.
2. When you reconnect at the coffee date or on the call, continue to present yourself as interested instead of interesting. Ask questions that allow you to learn more about them as a person or more about their industry:
What gets them the most excited about what they do?
How long have they been doing this? What keeps them going? Or what would cause them to make a change if this is a recent pivot from what they were doing before?
What does success look like to them?
What’s the secret to their success or what do they think is holding them back from reaching that success?
If they could change any one thing in any area of their life, what would it be?
3. Two key questions to ask in the conversation to build connection include:
What is your biggest challenge?
How can I help you with your business?
4. Shut up and listen. Active listening is a skill that must be practiced diligently to achieve mastery. It takes a focused mind to express sincerity and hear their needs that you may be able to serve or assist.
5. Thank them for their time and sharing. Ask for permission to make suggestions, then offer your recommendations of how you might help them or the connections you may have for them.
Most likely, they will ask how they can help you in return. Then you can share your biggest challenges or requests for your business.
Creating win-win collaborations allow us to do so much more together than we ever could on our own. Joint ventures, strategic partnerships, and accountability partners are all ways that help us grow personally, professionally, and financially.
To learn more about collaborating, grab your ticket to the Coffee Connection Mastermind on Thursday, October 3, 2019 from 9 am to 4 pm at MidSparks Event Center. This workshop will provide an interactive opportunity to connect and brainstorm with other entrepreneurs and business professionals. Tickets available here.
Ly Smith is a Productivity Architect with UpCycle Coaching. She has been leading a weekly one-hour mastermind for nearly two years, helping businesses double their revenues, increase their productivity by over 30%, and creating win-win collaborations.