Networking – a professional approach

Networking has massive benefits to individuals and organisations on multiple levels, and yet many neglect it completely, go through the motions or treat it solely as an opportunity to get out of the office and blow off some steam.

This session emphasises a professional and structured approach to networking; exploring overall networking strategy, how to optimise results from specific events, and pays particular attention to
networking for sales. It gives delegates the tools and insight to raise their networking game and reap the rewards for themselves and their employers

• To build an understanding of the importance of and multiple purposes networking
• Understand the need to adopt a professional structured approach to our networking strategy and how to do it
• How to maximise the benefits of specific networking events through pre-event planning and preparation, best practice at the event, and timely follow up post event

• The multiple purposes and benefits of networking – mentoring, career advancement, learning, sales etc
• Building a networking strategy and plan
• What type of networking events?
• Preparing for a networking event
• Maximizing your time at the event. The principle of reciprocity. Are you a collector of cards?
• Post-event – the follow up.
• Sales networking – turning warm leads into hot results

Nick offers a unique combination of skills in the UK insurance training sector – an industry sales specialist and a professional coach and trainer. Nick is an Economics graduate with over 25 years corporate insurance broking experience. He was a highly successful sales producer in the UK broking market before progressing into regional and then national sales leadership roles. As National Development Director at HSBC, Nick was one of only 40 people from a global workforce of 265,000 selected as part of the STARS programme to recognise exceptional performance. He is a highly trained consultative sales specialist, and his experience includes a secondment with a major management consultant to design a best practice sales process.

In the mid-2000s, Nick developed a chronic health condition; his journey to recovery fostered a new range of interests, and a passion for health, and performance. He studied widely, qualifying as a Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), obtaining a Diploma in Life Coaching, before going on to study Corporate/Business Coaching with The Coaching Academy. Nick is also a qualified Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Advanced Exercise Coach.

In the last two years Nick has worked in a self-employed capacity in training, coaching, and consulting. He works with a specialist adviser in Insurance sector M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions), and through Nick Thomas & Associates.