It’s January and you’re no doubt very busy, but when February comes, will you be looking for more clients?

Networking can be an extremely effective way to find new business, but it strikes horror into the hearts of many accountants. Talking to strangers! Explaining what you do! Asking for their contact details! It’s very daunting.

But it doesn’t have to be an ordeal.

Here are my tips for successful and enjoyable networking.

Stop thinking you have to sell your services

In a room full of people, how many do you think are looking for a new accountant? Not many, if any. And even if there are some, there’s no guarantee you’ll get to meet them if they’re on the other side of a busy room.

So don’t walk in the door thinking that you have to find a new client there and then. Networking is about building relationships, not selling.

Instead, focus on having great conversations with the people you talk to; it’s very much quality, not quantity. Look for common interests that let you go beyond a surface-level chat.

I know it’s not always easy to get into that kind of conversation; so, to get going, I use the mnemonic FORD.

F stands for family, though I use it to mean generally getting to know them on a personal level. ‘Tell me a bit about yourself. How about your family?’

O is for occupation, probably the easiest question to ask but it’s better to start with the family question first. When you do start talking about their occupation, keep the phrase, ‘tell me more’ in mind. ‘Oh, you’re a graphic designer, tell me more. What kind of work do you specialise in? Which kind of clients do you work with?’

R is for recreation. ‘What do you like to do when you’re not working?’ It could be that they tell you that they’re working silly hours and don’t have much time for hobbies. Which of course is something for you to make a note of for later.

D is for dreams. This is where you start to ask some deeper questions and I find it useful to ask their permission first. ‘Do you mind if I ask you a couple of deeper questions? Would that be OK? I'd really like to understand you a little bit better. Out of curiosity, if you could wave a magic wand, what would you love to be doing? What would you want your business to be like in five years’ time?’ This can spark some great conversations.

And while you’re having those conversations, you’re looking out for the ‘aha’ moments when you think, I can help with that.

Be prepared

Of course, chances are that most of the people you talk to won’t be using the FORD mnemonic and they’ll start off with the inevitable question, ‘what do you do?’ So, while you can hopefully steer the conversation your way, you need to be prepared with your elevator speech.

How often have you been at a networking event and told someone you’re an accountant, then watched their eyes glaze over? It’s not the most compelling opening, is it? Instead, focus on how you help your clients. So, you could say, ‘I help business owners manage their cashflow better so they don’t have to worry about paying the bills.’ Or ‘I help my clients sleep better at night because they know their financials are in great shape.’

It's important to be genuine in what you say so give this some thought beforehand. And do practice your elevator speech so it comes out naturally.

Follow up

Remember those ‘aha’ moments I mentioned earlier? This where the power of following up comes in. If someone says they’re working too many hours, as in the example above, and you know you can help them with this, make sure to follow up afterwards (ideally within 24 hours). This could be an email or a LinkedIn connection request.

Refer to your conversation and offer to have a chat to see if you can help. Or, if it’s more relevant, send them a resource with some useful tips. Keep it informal and don’t be pushy. It may not be the right time for them immediately, but you’ll be on their radar and in a very positive way.

And there’s one other thing I’d like to suggest too. As you’re meeting all these different people, think about who would be good to introduce to each other. When you connect people for their mutual benefit, you become a really valuable person to know.

I hope these tips help to make your next networking event a little less intimidating. Remember, it will become easier as you get to know your fellow networkers better and those conversations start to come naturally. Good luck!