New Business Networking: How to Effectively Grow Your Business Network Using Online and Offline Methods

10. Listen Better. Remember More.

The most basic of all human needs is to understand and be understood....The best way to understand people is to listen to them.

—Ralph G. Nichols

When you’re meeting new people, you must be consciously listening. By listening to the stories and information you receive from new contacts, you create an instant connection. If someone realizes you’re not listening, it leaves a negative impression that can be impossible to repair. By showing interest and responding appropriately as you listen, you gain the trust and respect of the other person.

I drive my wife nuts when she catches me not listening. It’s amazing that she has stayed with me all these years. The truth is that we’re both guilty of tuning each other ...