Wouldn’t it be grand if at the next networking event you attended the leader or speaker asked the audience this question … “How many of you came here today to BUY something? If that describes you, please raise your hand and keep it really high so that the folks that came here today to SELL something can easily find you.”
Pretty funny to think about, yes?
And yet, many people who come to Networking events are expecting this very thing to happen because … they came to SELL.
And, they are usually quite disappointed because networking is not about selling.
Networking is about building relationships that are mutually beneficial over time. I’m going to say that again as it bears repeating … Bob Burg, author of Endless Referals says that Networking is about building mutually beneficial relationships over time and I whole heartedly agree.
Those who focus on turning their contacts into contracts in the early stages of the relationship building process are the very same people who 2 or 3 months after joining any networking group will be heard to complain that “networking does not work for me” … and they are right. Networking that way does not work for anybody.
So the next time you are heading out to a Networking event, I hope you will focus on helping others learn about your company, your products, or your services from an educational standpoint and not a transactional one.
You can be a savvy connector for others and yourself. Or, you can be a pushy and aggressive self centered promotion fool.
Either way, you are teaching people how you operate in the world.
I choose to be a connector. How about you?
And, in the meantime, let me know if you enjoy being sold to the first time you meet someone. I’d love to hear about your experiences here.