As the holiday season swings into full gear, many small business owners start to sweat about how to make business contacts in the next few weeks.
You don’t need to worry. The holiday season is a profitable time to build your business – if you know how to do it.
Here are ten tips to help you build your business at holiday parties.
1. Do not act desperate for business. Yes, you may have bills to pay and not be sure how you’re going to do it but, remember you are at a party. People want to talk to upbeat confident people. You won’t attract any business if you act desperate.
2. Stay focused on building your business. There’s a temptation to throw caution to the wind and forget about your business for the time. DON’T! You can enjoy yourself, but remember why you are there. Pay attention to who you meet and what they say.
3. Stay in the festive mood. You need to remember that you’re at a party. This is a time to start some relationships and learn information that can be followed up on later. Keep it light. Don’t try to do major business deals! Save that for later.
4. Know that you are being scanned. People like to know who they are doing business with. How you present yourself at a holiday party can pay off or hurt you in the weeks to come. Treat everyone with respect and a positive attitude. This is not a time to air dirty laundry.
5. Set goals for each event. Decide before you arrive at an event how many people you will talk to and what information you hope to learn. Write down both your goals and results for each event. You’ll be amazed at how much information you will learn.
6. Be prepared to follow up. Send a “Nice to Meet You” note to everyone that you talk to at a holiday party. Keep them short and handwritten. Make sure you include your business card. It takes most people six to eight exposures to remember and trust you. This speeds up the process.
7. Be an interesting person to talk to at the party. Do your homework. Have some casual topics prepared to bring up that you like to talk about. Remember your goal is finding common interests and building relationships. Being prepared will build your confidence.
8. Have some good leading questions to ask others. People love to talk about themselves. It’s also a great opportunity to start a bond. Find out what they’re doing for the holidays. Make note of what they say. Ask for the rest of the story next time you see them.
9. Listen with both of your ears. Parties often lower the inhibition of people and many business opportunities may be exposed. Pay attention to conversations for problems you can solve. Follow up with the solution during regular business hours.
10. Act appropriately at all times. You need to stay in control of yourself and your mind. No matter how good the eggnog and spiced wine tastes, remember holiday parties only come once a year. Use this time to mingle with the best of them — you can use your profits later to buy all of the champagne you want.
With a solid strategy in mind, you can turn the holiday season into a profitable season for your business.
Increase your networking skills and business building confidence with Cynthia D’Amour, author of “Networking: The Skills Forgot to Teach” Subscribe to FREE e-zine, Cynthia D’Amour’s Small Biz Marketing Minute. Learn more at http://www.peoplepowerunlimited.com