It’s not just what you know, but who you know. That’s why networking groups can be a guerilla marketer’s best friend. They exist so business owners and reps can make connections and generate business.
The main group I go to (Professional Power Team) has been going for over 4 ½ years. You’ll find me there every Tuesday, I’m a fixture. Over the years I’ve seen people succeed at networking, and I’ve seen them flop. Years of experience have shown me a pattern for both the success stories and the failures. See if you can spot the common theme.
Successful networkers:
- Attend regularly. They understand people can’t get to know them in just one or two meetings.
- Give as well as get. They understand others are there to find new business too. By helping others they help themselves. It’s the old “You get back what you give out” adage.
- Don’t just talk to people they can sell to. Networking isn’t just about the people you meet; it’s also about the people they know. I’ve met some people who were not a good fit for me, but people they knew turned into great clients.
Networking failures:
- Hit and run. They come one time, gather business cards, and never come back. They don’t stick around long enough to make an impression.
- Arrive right before the meeting and leave the minute it’s over. During the meeting people give their elevator pitch, but the real networking happens before and after the meeting.
- Talk, but don’t listen. Networking groups encourage “one on ones.” During a one on one you get to know the other person and their business. I’ve had some fantastic one on ones, and I’ve had some bad ones. The good ones were conversations; the bad ones usually involved the other person pitching to me for 30 minutes. Then they packed up and left. The impression they left: If this person is this selfish in a meeting, they’re probably the same way in a business deal.
Did you spot the theme? If you approach networking with a “me, me, me” attitude, people stop listening. You may as well give your sales pitch to your cat.
What are your networking success & horror stories? I’d love to hear them.
I agree. We all need to know the Netiquette to be successful.