If you’ve been following along with the last couple 100% Jodi episodes you’ve heard the 8 common myths out there about networking and you’ve gotten an idea of all the different types of events and gatherings you can attend for group networking. Ultimately, all of this group activity is leading to where networking has its power: the one-to-one meeting. These can be coffee dates, lunches, happy hours, video conference calls, etc. This is when you spend focused time with an individual to deepen the relationship. Nothing can replace an in-person meeting but when time or distance are inhibitors it’s time to get hip with the latest technology. Phone calls serve their purpose but they are so last century when it comes to the get-to-know-you meeting. Now that video calls are readily available to anyone with a device and wifi, phone calls give off what they are: a conversation with a disembodied voice. It’s fine as a last resort but if you want to make a strong connection get comfortable with the tools that are out there. I regularly use Skype, Zoom and Google Hangouts. I have also used Facetime on occasion. Before the One-to-One Meeting Confirm the meeting a day or two in advance. It happens. Sometimes the meeting doesn’t make it to the other person’s calendar or they haven’t looked at their calendar in days. Also, sometimes there is glitch when you or they put the meeting on the calendar and the time or date is off. By reaching out to confirm the meeting you can discover ahead of time if there is a need to reschedule. I don’t know about you but, even if I’m having a video call from my office, I’ve structured my activity around the call. To discover 10 minutes into the call that it’s not going to happen can be very frustrating because in actuality I’ve lost about 30 minutes of my time. The time gets eaten up because we need to reschedule the meeting. Also, the mental transition out of projects before the time of the meeting and the transition back in after discovering the call is not going to happen. This is even worse if you travel to a coffee shop or restaurant only to find out it was a waste of time. If you are having an in-person meeting be sure to exchange cell phone numbers in advance in case anything comes up last minute. Text messages tend to be more reliable than email especially if you are in an area that does not have good cellular service. Review their website or LinkedIn profile to get an idea of this person and the work they are doing. This is especially helpful if you are having an in-person meeting with someone you have not met in person before. You can look up their profile picture so you’ll be able to spot them in the crowd. Side note, make sure your profile pictures look like you and presents you as you want to be seen. Update it if necessary. During the One-to-One Meeting The first time you are meeting with another professional or business owner, focus on getting to know them well as a human being and finding out how you can contribute to them. Don’t focus on the work they are doing right away. Ask them about their journey, what they are currently excited about, and their plans for the future. When they look back on all they’ve done what makes them feel proud? What has been their biggest challenge? There are so many questions you can ask to get the ball rolling and once it is rolling stay curious about them and the questions will come to you naturally. If at the end of the meeting you feel strongly that this is a person you would want to introduce to others in your network, schedule another meeting to find out more about how the two of you can help each other. In subsequent meetings get into the nitty gritty of what opportunities they are looking for and guide them to teach you how to find those opportunities for them. Even if you are a newbie entrepreneur or you are early in your career, there is always a way that you can bring value. You have to believe that it is true and it is just a matter of discovering what