Relationships happen in amazing places don’t they?
You could be in an elevator, siting by the pool, in a gym, just about anywhere…right?
So what happens when you’re on one of the most common forms of transport today – a domestic or international flight?
Often in today’s competitive travel market the domestic airfare wars have produced fairs cheaper than driving to your required destination (obviously within the same country unless you’re batman and own a bat car)
So if you’re a business owner travelling all over the continent or jet setting abroad here are 3 techniques that you can use to network and begin a possible relationship.
1) Choose Your “Conversation Energy”
Just imagine you're about to sit next to someone on a flight for 10 or so hours. What would the topic of introduction be?
Would you begin by telling them your life story in the first 7 minutes?
Have you ever sat next to someone that does that?
I mean you're looking at the hostess waiving $100 bills to move you to another seat, heck you're even happy to sit on the wing as long as you get away from that person
So “Conversation Energy” is really important to set the pace of how much you're going to cover and for how long.
Tip: Settle into the flight (I mean both of you aren’t going anywhere) then when the time is right begin engaging.
2) You Don't Get Married On The First Date
So many people in business, want to tell you about their business and how good their product or service is for you and you haven't even grabbed a drink
It feels like they have the answers to all your problems through what they do and they haven't bothered asking you about YOU.
As one of my mentors Tommy Walker says “it’s like their punching you in the face and shouting by my product, by my product, by my product”
One of the techniques I use is to begin by asking some one I meet (when breaking the ice) “Hey what do you like doing when you're not working?” I genuinely want to know about THEM not just about the business, that's just one component of what makes people tick
Learn more about them and WHO they are and then you can begin building rapport with them until you get to discuss what you do and how it maybe a good fit.
Tip: Always ask about them and their business first before telling them about yours, it acts as a courteous gesture, which goes a long way in Networking.
3) Don't Sell Anything
Trying to do business in a place where you're feeling pretty average at best (breathing recycled air, in a tin can 30,000 feet in the air eating food that’s more a lucky dip than nutritious) is not the best way to engage in a large deal or any deal for that matter.
It’s better that you create a good platform of discussion that leads to an exchange of details for follow up when you're both on “Terra Firma”
Enjoying each others new experiences, stories and commonalities is what business is really about. Getting to know who you're dealing with has massive implications to negotiating deals later on.
Remember business is an exchange of trust and getting to know someone on a flight is a great way to begin the ongoing relationship.
This guest post is courtesy of Nick Psaila Holistic Business Coach/ Author/ Speakerhttp://www.nickpsaila.com