Now that we’re coming up to the Christmas period and you will find that a lot of people will put their businesses and work on the back burner – due to spending time with their family and friends.
This is a great way to rest and recuperate after a full year of working towards your goals. However, there will still be businesses making big moves during this time of year when the mood seems to be enhanced.
Taking advantage of this opportunity after you’ve had the required rest will sometimes go under the radar. That’s why in this blog, we’re going to show you how to network effectively over the festive period. Carry on reading to learn more!
How to Network Effectively During the Festive Period
In regards to how to network effectively during the festive period, make these in-person events (or online) relevant to the winter festivities by creating memorable experiences with people you want to network with – whilst being able to read the mood and creating a fun environment for everyone to be around.
To magnify this, we will break down exactly how you can implement these key pointers during the festive season when you’re trying to build a network (or expand your network on what you currently have). Let’s run through each one so you can become a successful networker and build relationships for future business:
Creating Memorable Experiences
Just because it is Christmas time does not mean that the top businesses forget that they need to attend networking events to build valuable connections for the future. Doubling down on this and ensuring that the people you have met previously or meeting at these festive networking events remember that you care.
Showing that you care for someone by offering a kind gesture or saying some meaningful words about their business can often show that you’re in this for the right reasons.
Additionally, understanding the concept of networking and overselling yourself and not listening to what the other person has to say is far more habitual than it should be.
However, if you start a conversation and show that you’re engaging with their offering, whilst telling them some interesting stories about yourself – it will create a better connection between you two.
Gauging the Mood of the Event
No matter whether this is an online networking event or an in-person mastermind group – you must certify what the goal of this networking event is. Sometimes, around this time of year, it can feel more like a gathering – compared to businesses handing you business cards.
Therefore, if you turn up with the intent to sell to people, while others are just there for a friendly chat – you’re going to look as though you’re desperate. Building true friendships when you meet new people during the silly season rather than them just being a ‘connection’ will make you feel closer – causing people to open up more.
Attending an Abundance of Events
Whether you look for events in your field of work or you just go to meet other business owners in an assortment of opposing niches – ensuring that you attend an abundance of networking events is crucial.
Not only will you gain a multitude of different skills and knowledge from another niche, but you will see the perspectives of the problems that people are facing. Although they may be more laid-back events, this doesn’t mean that you can’t contact them in the future to potentially fill that void (potential business coaching learning opportunity).
Following Up After Christmas (Bonus Tip)
After you’ve had great conversations with other business owners and were sharing information that potentially led to you building a relationship in this short space of time – you may have found that you now have their contact details or social media handles.
Dropping them a message and asking them to meet up after the Christmas break or potentially attending another face-to-face networking event together will cause no harm to you or them. In fact, this will most likely be an excellent feeling for them – as they know that someone has taken to their personality.
Following up with these business owners or others attending the online or in-person event can sometimes be the difference between a relationship being formed for the future, or, nothing happening at all. Choosing to take the leap may be the best decision you’ve ever made and you may have yourself a new business partner.
Benefits of Networking Over the Festive Period
So, what are some of the benefits of networking over the festive period? Below, we will list some of the advantages that we have seen first-hand in our years of networking with businesses in multiple niches:
- Gives you an actionable plan for the new year
- Deeper relationships are formed during this season
- More personal conversations (learning more about the person)
- People are typically more relaxed
- Fun experiences
- Meeting new people
Benefits of Traditional Networking
Of course, the benefits of networking events during the festive period have their own tailored advantages. However, this doesn’t mean that the original satisfaction of networking disappears. Here is a list of some of the other advantages you can expect when you attend normal networking events.
- Build your confidence as a business owner
- Advance your career
- Gaining advice from people who have achieved what you want to accomplish
- Opposing aspects of specific responsibilities within your business
- An outburst of new knowledge from your surroundings
- New-found motivation
Conclusion
Here at Move Online, we have seen professional networking events and we understand how certain people will react when given the chance to meet new people. The confidence they gain from being a shy person is second to none as there aren’t many better activities for your confidence than regularly speaking to people of a higher status than you.
Whether you’re a marketing company, software company or even a typical brick-and-mortar business, networking at Christmas is for everyone and there are no limits on your potential. If you need any more information or networking tips, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team today for further support.
Mark is a multi-award winner in business networking and relationship building. He is passionate about coaching and mentoring business owners and professionals through 1-1 & group coaching, team performance workshops and group mastermind sessions.