5 Questions to Ask While Networking
We’ve all been there: you’re in a networking situation — either talking with someone at a networking event or having a 1–2–1 conversation with someone you met at a networking event — and the conversation is painful.
You ask a question, the other person responds, and then…crickets.
The silence is deafening.
You’re not sure what to do; you want to run and hide, but that would be rude. Better yet, you’d like for the other person in your conversation to ask you a question, but that doesn’t appear to be happening.
So, you trudge on. You ask some additional questions, and you get some multi-word answers, but the conversation is painful at best.
It almost makes you want to stop networking altogether, but don’t give up yet.
Instead, have an arsenal of questions at the ready that will (almost) guarantee a fantastic conversation. And even if the ensuing conversation isn’t quite amazing, these questions have an ulterior motive:
They will demonstrate that you are in control of the conversation and that you are a networking dynamo. And whether it’s true or not, the perception of these two points is quite powerful to the person to whom you are speaking.
So without further ado, here are five questions you can ask in any type of networking situation to gain control and get the other person talking:
Question 1 — Ask what the person does
This seems like an obvious question, especially at a networking event, but “obvious” can be a relative term. The question is a natural ice-breaker and can get the conversation going, but it doesn’t necessarily get the conversation flowing.
Consider this scenario:
You: “So, what do you do?”
Them: “I’m a financial advisor.”
Then, crickets.
So while asking, “What do you do?” is a perfectly reasonable question, consider another way to ask it:
“What problems do you solve for your clients?”
Boom!
Question 2 — Ask why their clients choose them over the competition
The idea here is to draw out what makes them different. What is their competitive advantage or unique value proposition? The answer not only gets the other person talking (hopefully) but also helps you determine whether or not this person would be an added value to your network.
Remember, the purpose of networking is to develop relationships and cultivate a circle of trusted advisors. Those advisors may be of help to you and your business, and vice versa.
If the person you are talking to has a clear vision of why them over anyone else, they might be a great addition to your network.
Question 3 — Ask how they get their business
It’s always interesting to know how others get their business. Do they rely heavily on referrals, or do they crank out hundreds of cold calls a week? Do they like to cold call, and if so, why? How did they get to the point of being able to build their business solely on referrals?
There is no right or wrong answer, and the answer may depend on how long they’ve been in their current field, their industry, or any number of other factors.
Question 4 — Ask who good referral partners are for them
I’m in a networking group, and we call referral partners a “sphere of influence.” It’s those people with professions that complement yours, whose clients or customers are the same as yours. So for me, as a freelance content writer, a couple of good referral partners are graphic designers and website designers.
You ask this question to determine if you know anyone who you could introduce them to.
Remember, along with establishing and cultivating relationships, networking is about helping others. By finding out who a good referral partner is, you might be in a position to make an introduction. Making those connections not only helps them, but it will also come back to help you. More on this in another article.
Question 5 — Ask how you can help them
I just said it above: networking is about helping others. By asking this question, you are demonstrating that you are genuinely interested in the other person and that you want to help them.
The answer to this question may vary from something like, “keep me in mind if you ever need a (fill-in-the-blank), to “If you happen to know (someone in this industry), I’d love an introduction,” to something completely different.
If you think you can help them — and you want to help then — let them know what next steps you’ll take. If you don’t think you can help them, tell them that you will keep them in mind.
With these five questions, you’ll be in control of the conversation and will know fairly quickly if the person to whom you are speaking is worth your time. And, they will eliminate those dreaded and awkward crickets.
Wendy Jacobson is a freelance content writer living and working in Minneapolis, MN. You can learn more about her on her website, wendythepooh.com.
