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I’ve been told that good conversation skills can not be taught. It is either a skill you have or one that you don’t. While there is some validity in that statement, don’t be discouraged. Even though everyone isn’t going to be a linguist, YOU can master the art of good table conversation.

Business networking is vital to the growth of any company, but even more important for an online web design business. An excellent networker can grow their business by leaps and bounds over a poor networker. A good friend of mine recently shared a problem he has, table conversation. Not just any table conversation, but talking about his web design business. I know it sounds odd, but believe me he is not alone. Many people who are good at what they do, stink at networking, even if it is with family and friends. With a little understanding and some practice anyone can make web design good table conversation. You just have to know the responses you’re going to get so you can have the right follow up. You have to have a good elevator pitch, you have to be ready to provide either valuable information or service and you have to be able to have good leader questions. Let’s look at each one individually.

Know the Common Responses

• “I have a website already.”
• “We have a webmaster already.”
• “I need a website.”

There was a time when we even had to worry about this one, “what is a web site?” I am glad that response has finally ceased. Generally, the importance of a website is understood by everyone in the business world. Yet web designers and web developers including myself tend to freeze up at some of those responses. Knowing what responses may come your way can well equip you to have appropriate and sometimes conversation building replies. Your whole goal in any network building conversation is to lead it where you want it to. With that said, I must say further that you have to qualify to whom you are talking to. Qualifying a person simply means determining what role they will play in your network. Is this a potential client, is this going to be a business relationship, or a middle man? The answer to that will determine your responses. You do not want to give a sales pitch to someone you are looking to form a business relationship with. Those people deserve more respect, after all they may eventually drive clients, overflow work, or even others to network with.

So we are going to look primarily at those to whom either could be a client or may know directly someone who needs your web design and development skills.

Have a Good Pitch

You need to be able to describe who you are and what you do in the amount of time it would take for an elevator to empty it’s passengers. This is commonly called an elevator pitch for just that reason. It is important to craft your response to those questions. Determine what you want to say and then write it down. Say it out loud, re-write it, and continue this process until you have a well worded yet easy to understand ‘pitch’. It is important to spend time on it and make sure it is an accurate description of what you do and yet don’t make it boring. Lets say you are at a table full of people at a networking meeting and they ask you what you do. Which of the two pitches below would you care to hear a person talk more about if you were at that table?

I am a web designer and developer. Does anyone need a website or a re-design?

I design interactive websites for people like Ford, Marriott, and Disney that increase sales, builds branding, and doubles traffic. Care to know how?

Of course, you’d likely want to talk to the person who said something like the second reply. Is it because it’s more wordy? Or is it because it is descriptive, inviting, and even a little mysterious? Exactly! In one simple statement and a question you’ve hooked your audience. So what do you do if you haven’t done work for Ford, Marriott, Disney, or anyone but a local bait and tackle shop? Or what if you are just starting out and you don’t have a portfolio to show? No problem, everyone must start somewhere. So you can say something like:

I am a web designer who is currently looking for a project where some new technology can be used to really knock the socks off their customer base? Does anyone know someone whose site could really use that?

You see in both cases those responses are inviting conversation and are not hard selling. Confidence in your ability can also show in your replies, so make sure you respond with confidence. If you do not believe you belong at that table with those other professionals, then no matter what you say they will be able to tell. Write down all of the questions, statements, or objections you are likely to hear when discussing web design or websites with someone. Then write out your responses and practice them out loud. Most importantly try them out. Then mold and modify them based on your experience while using them. Keep it an active and constantly changing process. Soon you’ll get to the point where you won’t need to write anything down and you can modify and mold on the fly.

Provide Valuable Information

Valuable information was provided to the listeners at the table in the above examples. In just the interactive response the following is a little of what was communicated: experience, works with big clients, type of work provided, profitable solutions, successful, and willing to share secrets or advice. I am a strong advocate of sharing ones tips, tricks, advice, and opinions. Why? The more people who know that you know your stuff, the more likely they will listen. When you have someone listening a back and forth conversation can develop. The key is that the information truly has to be valuable.

Ask Good Leader Questions

Once the conversation is started you will constantly have to ask questions to direct and lead the conversation where you want it. Whether you want an exchange of information, a business relationship, a mouth-piece for your business, or even the signing up of a client. Leader questions are simply asking pointed questions that will lead or direct a response. For example if you are an expert in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) you are going to want to ask questions that will direct the conversation to your expertise. It is important that you can show your knowledge and allow yourself to provide that valuable information. You don’t want to talk over their heads, or get all techy (unless that is your crowd). You want to provide information in a way that makes a potential client for example feel like they need your services. When you can do that, very little selling is required. When you can be simply talking about something that you have a passion for and love doing, people will notice and can sense that.

Here are a few web design and development related topics to get you started thinking of leader questions for your strong suit.

• Strong Visual Design
• Cross-browser Compatibility
• Accessibility or Usability
• Increasing Traffic
• Lead Capturing
• Conversion Ratios (click through, visitor to sale, etc)
• Search Engine Optimization

You have to have a passion for what you do and a true belief that you have what they need. If you have both of those then you can become a successful networker. You can learn and practice conversation techniques, but no one can help you with the passion or belief - that’s up to you.

How do you direct conversations to web design? What objections have you ran into and how did you overcome them? Feel free to share by posting a comment below.

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