Networking, Informational Interviews
- Grow your network
- Nurture relationships
- Share your brand
Space
- Geography and/or
- Profession and/or
- Industry
find people to talk with?
- Referrals from your network
- LinkedIn
Prople talk to
- Power connectors
- Industry experts
- Potential boss
Invite to talk
- via Email
Part 1: Strong subject
Part 2: Context
Part 3: What you want
Part 4: Next step
Part 5: Email signature with your branding on phone
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Context
Part 3: What you want
Part 4: Next step / availability
Part 5: Thank you / confirmationHi Megan, my name is Jason Alba.
Aaron was telling me that you are one of the best thinkers he knows in
the industry.
I am doing some research and would love to get 20 minutes with you to
ask a few questions. [or: to get your perspective]
Can I come to your office next week for a 20 minute meeting?
Great, I’ll see you on Wednesday at 9 at your office. Thank you!
Handle declined invitation
- ask for referrals
- try later, maybe it’s bad timing.
Asking about company
- Industry revenues (size of industry)
- Customers (B2B B2C C2C)
- Products (breadth and depth)
- Trends (maturing new disruptors)
- News
- Management/Players (conference speakers)
- Leaders, pioneeers
Research person
- length of time working there
- past companies
- past jobs
- lived
- specialties
- volunteer endeavors
- prsentations/conferences
- Coworkers
- Titles
- Background on those people
- Titles
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis
Prepare the Agenda
- drive conversation
- Introduction
- Questions
- Conclusion
- Ask/offer
- referrals
- Ask/offer
Questions
- Show interest
- Show passion/expertise
- Be purposeful
get information
- Industry
- Organizatiom
- Position
Where do you see this industry (or profession) going in the next few years?
Respects THEIR opinion/perspectiveWhat changes have you seen in the course of your career so far?
Respects THEIR experience
Get perspective that Google couldn’t giveWhat are the hard-to-find skills that this industry (or company) is looking for?
Do your skills match?
Do you need to improve certain skills? Helps you move past assumptionsWould you choose this field if you had to do it over again? Why or why not?
Maybe you’ll relate to what they love or don’t love
You might learn about other positions that you hadn’t thought ofWhat are the biggest technology changes influencing this business?
Great industry question
Can you solve these problems? Is there a business opportunity?What do you read to keep up with developments in your field or industry?
Shows passion and interest
Shows commitment to continuing educationWhat are some of the biggest challenges facing your company and your industry?
Understanding of competition, threats and trends
Shows business interest/aptitude
- Industry
Logistics
- Know where to meet
- Ask for cellphone
- clothing
#@ dig your well before you’re thirsty
- Smile
- Say name to remember
- Comment on their responses
“That’s interesting. Why do you think…?” - Every part of your communication impacts your branding
The thoughtfulness or epth of your questions
Positive Branding:
- Knowledgeable
- Good thinker
- Quick thinker
- Nice
- Good communicator
- Knowledgeable
Negative Branding:
- NOT referable!
- NOT referable!
Who else should I talk to?
Can you introduce me to them?
What can I do for you?
- Recurring Follow-up
- Share news
- Ask question
- Make invitation
- Ask for invitation
- Stay in touch
- Share news
- NURTURE the relationship
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