J25 BNI Derby Business Networking

Having Just returned from London and having many journeys by London Black Cabs I realised that London Taxi Drivers must be excellent at networking.

On climbing into most London Black Cab’s the driver can get you in into a conversation within minutes. Remember this is a total stranger, why are they so easy to talk to, How do they do it ?

I started to try to remember how they started and maintained a conversation. Here are a few tips you may be able to use at your next networking meeting.

• Ask generic questions. Where do you come from? How was your train/plane/bus journey? Why are you in London. What are your plans?.
• Never ask a question that can be answered with only a yes or no. Don’t ask ‘did you come by train?’ there is only two possible answers yes or no, Ask ‘how did you get here?’, there is a hundred different answers, it’s much easier to follow up on.
• Listen for things you know about, Dogs, The Weather, Cars, Money, Current events. It make it easy to follow up with a question.
• Relate things to your own personal experience and talk about them. It gives a feeling of warmth and friendship. But don’t go on too long.
• Be happy and confident. If the conversation drops, ask another leading question.

But in a networking event I want to talk about Business not the weather, dogs, transport etc… I hear you ask.  Well, Networking isn’t about talking business. Networking is about making relationships. The Business comes later.  Of course somewhere in the conversation you do need to mention what you do and more importantly ask them what they do, but usually on the first meeting the conversation stops at that point, dont worry, ask them about the weather dogs etc.. etc.. but avoid politics, especially when in a black cab!.