There are people who attend one networking meeting and then give up because they "didn't get anything out of it." Usually they mean they didn't get any business as a direct result of that one single event.
Do they create a TV ad and run it just one time? Do they buy one radio spot and then announce that "advertising doesn't work"? You can't even test this theory because no radio or TV advertising salesperson would ever let you buy just one ad. They don't do this because they want to sell you more ads, they do it because they know that one single mention isn't going to get any return on your investment. Marketing, brand development, and awareness need repetition.
Sure, you might get that one or two people who were just waiting for an offer exactly like yours. This happens in networking events often enough, I guess, to reinforce the belief that it should take place every time.
I will never forget hearing someone grumpily announce at a meeting, "I've been here twice and I still haven't got any business from this!" I wonder what kind of advertising he does? And what he expects from it?
Networking tips and the best way to network ... by Networking on Purpose! Professional business networking strategies from Beth Bridges, speaker, and author.
It's Not Just Showing Up
I've been listening to Jim Rohn today. He's got a very direct way of challenging your thinking, but still manages to be very funny. Maybe because he ridicules some of the things that we do, knowing full well that they are ridiculous while we are doing them.
What would he tell people who say that they don't like networking because they don't get anything out of it? He'd ask them what they put into it first. And when they said they were waiting for other people to give to them, he'd say "What if everybody waited for someone else to give first? We'd all be standing there with our hands out ... but not to shake!"
Do people who think to gain from networking by showing up expect to get paid by just showing up at work? Of course, not. You have to put something out before you get something back. If networking were sales, we'd just line up and take turns asking each other, "Do you want to buy my product?" We could skip all that tedious "getting to know each other". What a sad, dreary business world that would be.
What would he tell people who say that they don't like networking because they don't get anything out of it? He'd ask them what they put into it first. And when they said they were waiting for other people to give to them, he'd say "What if everybody waited for someone else to give first? We'd all be standing there with our hands out ... but not to shake!"
Do people who think to gain from networking by showing up expect to get paid by just showing up at work? Of course, not. You have to put something out before you get something back. If networking were sales, we'd just line up and take turns asking each other, "Do you want to buy my product?" We could skip all that tedious "getting to know each other". What a sad, dreary business world that would be.
Networking is Tougher When You're Shy
There was a terrific Baldo cartoon that I wish I could send to everyone who is nervous about networking. Baldo is a teenager and he was walking into the school cafeteria. His only thought was that everyone else was staring at him. Instead, every one else in the room was also thinking that everyone else was staring at them.
Unless you are a celebrity, or the heralds announced your name as you walked into the room, no one is looking at you. Maybe the host or the hostess, who should be by the door to welcome you. But in business, there is no room to be shy about business networking.
Since I'm not shy, I have to go by what shy people tell me. They seem to worry more than average about what other people are thinking about them. They feel like they are being judged. But do they realize that deciding other people are judgmental is being judgmental themselves?
I used to say there were two kinds of people in the world. The kind who say to themselves "That person doesn't like me. What wrong with me?" And those who say, "That person doesn't like me. What's wrong with them?"
Unless you are a celebrity, or the heralds announced your name as you walked into the room, no one is looking at you. Maybe the host or the hostess, who should be by the door to welcome you. But in business, there is no room to be shy about business networking.
Since I'm not shy, I have to go by what shy people tell me. They seem to worry more than average about what other people are thinking about them. They feel like they are being judged. But do they realize that deciding other people are judgmental is being judgmental themselves?
I used to say there were two kinds of people in the world. The kind who say to themselves "That person doesn't like me. What wrong with me?" And those who say, "That person doesn't like me. What's wrong with them?"
Earn Referrals from Their Network
Yet another reason why you shouldn't network like you're trying to sell. Every person you meet represents two or three hundred (or more) people that they are connected to. Chances are you know a portion of their contacts since we tend to run in similar circles. But most of them are going to be entirely new to you.
If you decide to network with that person, rather than sell them, you are earning their future referrals. And with a referral, you get right down to selling. They are ready for your product or service and looking to buy.
It's worth investing the time and effort to cultivate that one relationship in order to earn referrals to their network.
If you decide to network with that person, rather than sell them, you are earning their future referrals. And with a referral, you get right down to selling. They are ready for your product or service and looking to buy.
It's worth investing the time and effort to cultivate that one relationship in order to earn referrals to their network.
Spending Time on Social Networking
There's an interesting article in the October Fast Company about companies actually making things worse for themselves through Twitter. My friend Chris Palmer of Vertex Legal says, "Maybe not everyone needs to be on social networks."
Maybe not everyone wants to promote their business or their company on social networks. Or you shouldn't share your personal life so freely. Maybe ... you're going to have difficulty managing the amount of time you spend online with Facebook.
We do the same with "socializing" but the hard part about social networking is that it feels like business. Especially compared to random web surfing or playing games. We're promoting our company or connecting to business contacts, then we see an interesting link. Next thing you know an hour has gone by when we were just going to check our messages.
Someone needs to invent a Facebook time limiter.
Maybe not everyone wants to promote their business or their company on social networks. Or you shouldn't share your personal life so freely. Maybe ... you're going to have difficulty managing the amount of time you spend online with Facebook.
We do the same with "socializing" but the hard part about social networking is that it feels like business. Especially compared to random web surfing or playing games. We're promoting our company or connecting to business contacts, then we see an interesting link. Next thing you know an hour has gone by when we were just going to check our messages.
Someone needs to invent a Facebook time limiter.
How to Meet Interesting People
If you want to meet interesting people, you need to go to interesting places. Note that the word is "interesting", not exotic, or expensive or exclusive. Places you haven't been yet. Places where people invest their time. Places where diverse members of the community come together.
Ribbon cuttings and open houses are a good example. Normally, businesses don't open their doors and invite the public to walk in and make themselves comfortable. Grand openings tend to put people in a mood that is similar to the holidays. They are more comfortable, relaxed, and open to meeting new people.
If you can squeeze out the extra effort during the rest of the year and find one open house, grand opening, or ribbon cutting a week, I guarantee you'll meet interesting people.
For example, tonight I went to the Open House for HandsOn Central California and conducted a ribbon cutting for them (visit the Clovis Chamber blog for a picture tomorrow). I met several of their staff, board members, and even some old friends.
Then I saw Jackie Ryle. She had with her copies of her brand new book, "All I Want is a Little Peace," to sell in the Art by Hand store at HandsOn. Congratulations Jackie!! I was her third-ever book buyer. How wonderful for me to be able to share just a little bit of her excitement.
We started a conversation with her fourth book buyer. He turned out to be Lee Ayres, who is on Ashley Swearengin's transition team. How interesting and fortunate for me to be able to run into him in such a casual and fun environment. I learned a little about civics and a lot more about the future of hiking trails in the valley.
All this from going to a non-profit, volunteer organization's Open House!
Now if I hadn't have dragged my buns out of the office, downtown, to that event, I wouldn't have had such an interesting time. Sure, I "had" to go because it's my job, but imagine if you built into your life a "no backing out" strategy. But that's a post for another day...
Ribbon cuttings and open houses are a good example. Normally, businesses don't open their doors and invite the public to walk in and make themselves comfortable. Grand openings tend to put people in a mood that is similar to the holidays. They are more comfortable, relaxed, and open to meeting new people.
If you can squeeze out the extra effort during the rest of the year and find one open house, grand opening, or ribbon cutting a week, I guarantee you'll meet interesting people.
For example, tonight I went to the Open House for HandsOn Central California and conducted a ribbon cutting for them (visit the Clovis Chamber blog for a picture tomorrow). I met several of their staff, board members, and even some old friends.
Then I saw Jackie Ryle. She had with her copies of her brand new book, "All I Want is a Little Peace," to sell in the Art by Hand store at HandsOn. Congratulations Jackie!! I was her third-ever book buyer. How wonderful for me to be able to share just a little bit of her excitement.
We started a conversation with her fourth book buyer. He turned out to be Lee Ayres, who is on Ashley Swearengin's transition team. How interesting and fortunate for me to be able to run into him in such a casual and fun environment. I learned a little about civics and a lot more about the future of hiking trails in the valley.
All this from going to a non-profit, volunteer organization's Open House!
Now if I hadn't have dragged my buns out of the office, downtown, to that event, I wouldn't have had such an interesting time. Sure, I "had" to go because it's my job, but imagine if you built into your life a "no backing out" strategy. But that's a post for another day...
Selling to Execs
I asked a prospective member what it would take to get them to mixers or other Chamber networking events.
"More executive-level decision-makers so I can sell my B2B (business to business) products. I don't want to meet Mary-Kay ladies."
First, don't be dissin' Mary-Kay ladies. They are usually the most gracious and well-dressed people you'll ever know!
Second, there's a good reason why executives and high-level decision makers tend not to go to general networking events. They get swarmed by people making sales pitches to them.
They tend to participate in much more focused activities. Or they go to events where there is a cost to participate. This serves as a filter and a barrier to entry that protects them from the most shallow of B2B sales people.
Do you want to sell to corporate execs? Networking is one good way to do it, but pitching them at a public event isn't networking. Remember, networking isn't selling, it's marketing. Marketing takes time. Target your market, be where they are, but don't make them feel uncomfortable around you. Develop a relationship based on mutual benefit. That's networking.
"More executive-level decision-makers so I can sell my B2B (business to business) products. I don't want to meet Mary-Kay ladies."
First, don't be dissin' Mary-Kay ladies. They are usually the most gracious and well-dressed people you'll ever know!
Second, there's a good reason why executives and high-level decision makers tend not to go to general networking events. They get swarmed by people making sales pitches to them.
They tend to participate in much more focused activities. Or they go to events where there is a cost to participate. This serves as a filter and a barrier to entry that protects them from the most shallow of B2B sales people.
Do you want to sell to corporate execs? Networking is one good way to do it, but pitching them at a public event isn't networking. Remember, networking isn't selling, it's marketing. Marketing takes time. Target your market, be where they are, but don't make them feel uncomfortable around you. Develop a relationship based on mutual benefit. That's networking.
In the Future, Everyone will be Connected
To misquote Andy Warhol:
"In the future, everyone will be third-degree connections with the world."
While browsing Questions and Answers on LinkedIn, I saw a question posted by Thomas Friedman. If your answer was helpful, he said, it might be featured in an updated version of "Hot, Flat, and Crowded." I was a bit surprised to see that I was a second-degree connection to him, but assumed it was through one of the LinkedIn Open Networker's I'm connected to.
Imagine how impressed I was to see it was through Craig Scharton at the CVBI! So I had to ask Craig how he knew Thomas Friedman. Craig answered one of Thomas' questions, invited him to connect, and to come speak at the Incubator. I can't wait for that! Look at the connection Craig now has - just for asking.
This illustrates how we're able to connect with people we may never have met or had the chance to communicate with directly or who we would otherwise have to stalk. Who knows? You might be a friend or two away from one of your favorite celebrities. No not Brittney Spears, a real hero of the business world, like Jeffrey Gitomer (I'm 3rd degree) or John C. Maxwell.
"In the future, everyone will be third-degree connections with the world."
While browsing Questions and Answers on LinkedIn, I saw a question posted by Thomas Friedman. If your answer was helpful, he said, it might be featured in an updated version of "Hot, Flat, and Crowded." I was a bit surprised to see that I was a second-degree connection to him, but assumed it was through one of the LinkedIn Open Networker's I'm connected to.
Imagine how impressed I was to see it was through Craig Scharton at the CVBI! So I had to ask Craig how he knew Thomas Friedman. Craig answered one of Thomas' questions, invited him to connect, and to come speak at the Incubator. I can't wait for that! Look at the connection Craig now has - just for asking.
This illustrates how we're able to connect with people we may never have met or had the chance to communicate with directly or who we would otherwise have to stalk. Who knows? You might be a friend or two away from one of your favorite celebrities. No not Brittney Spears, a real hero of the business world, like Jeffrey Gitomer (I'm 3rd degree) or John C. Maxwell.
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