I hear many people complaining that networking is a waste of time.
I simply don’t agree. Networking was one of the top things that helped me build my company, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.
There is simply nothing that compares to going out and meeting people in person. And there is no amount of Internet marketing or social media that can and ever will replace it.
If you are finding that networking isn’t working for you, it’s because you are probably making one of three grave mistakes (there’s more mistakes you could be making, but these are the top three):
1. You are ONLY looking for potential clients at events. You are going to events and looking around for your target market. Either you find one or two individuals or you find no one at all. You consider the event a failure.
Here’s the secret. You aren’t going to networking events just to find potential clients. You are going to the event to connect with referral partners as well. Referral partners are folks that can help you get to your ideal clients. They are either folks that know your ideal clients or serve your ideal clients in some way.
Networking has been an amazing source of referral partners for me.
I found my first kitchen to do cooking classes in at a networking event (back in the days when I ran Ideal Balance).
I met an online magazine publisher and got connected to Inc magazine at a networking event.
I connected with my first JV partner at a networking event, and she had a list of over 5000 people.
The key is to be open to every possibility. Know that conversations are worth having even if you can’t foresee the outcome.
2. You aren’t giving. You are networking like a banshee but you aren’t giving referrals to anyone or connecting people. We all know you have to give to receive. But where people make mistakes is that they think giving is linear.
You give a referral to Scott and Scott gives a referral to you.
That rarely happens.
What happens is that you start connecting people and giving referrals and the next thing you know the phone starts ringing. Opportunities start coming in from sources that you could never have predicted.
When you start giving, you start receiving. But you can’t predict the sources or the timing. You just have to stay in the flow of it.
3. You aren’t following up. You meet someone at an event, and you have a great conversation. You hand her your card. You go home and just know that she will call. She doesn’t call. You decide networking sucks.
Or you meet someone at an event. You have an interesting conversation. You hand her your card and take her card. The card sits on your desk for days. About five days later, you remember to send her a note.
She doesn’t respond. You decide that networking is futile.
When you are networking take a business card. Be sure to follow up within 3 days. Remember, follow up at least 3-4 times before you give up. Keep track of the follow up and make sure you have a system.
Networking is one of the most effective ways to grow your business. You just need to learn how to use it effectively and efficiently.
Leave me a comment and let me know your secrets for making networking work for you.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Monica!
You mention having a system in place to keep track of the follow-up. What do you suggest for this? I like to keep things as simple and accessible as possible.
Hi Julie, we use Highrise http://highrisehq.com/ and Basecamp http://basecamp.com/
Hey Monica,
Great conversation thread! I see a lot of people at networking type events with a bit of a desperate look in their eyes and it can be off-putting.
You’re so right on target with your message about giving and connecting. Show up in your best energy and the rest will follow.
Follow Up Then is an email reminder resource to kick your follow up into higher gear.
Thanks for all of your direct talk lately. You’re awesome!
Love & Magic,
Adrienne
You’re welcome Adrienne and thank you for your kind words! Glad I can help!
Great info! I think once you have the networking mentality you discussed above, networking happens in an organic way throughout your daily life, as well as at formal networking events. I’m always thinking about who I can put together in some sort of synergistic way. It’s the same way with marketing: there’s the kind we do through our websites, business cards, mailings–and there’s the organic kind, in which we naturally tell people what kind of business we have and are looking to accomplish in it, so that my dentist, hair stylist, and my daughter’s friends’ parents, etc., know that I’m a psychotherapist who helps individuals and couples find more satisfaction in life and that I’m expanding my practice now that my daughter is older, or whatever is going on. we have to have the formal and the organic forms, and it all starts with the mindset you describe! Thanks.
Thank you for the comment Diane and the best of luck in expanding your business.