| If you're networking with strangers, you're | | | | and foremost to make them a friend. The rest |
| wasting your time. A consultant friend of mine | | | | will follow naturally.* If you're going to network |
| recently complained, "I'm doing 2-3 networking | | | | with strangers, go with the goal of making 2-3 |
| events a week - and I'm worn out." When I | | | | lunch or coffee dates with people you find |
| asked why she felt networking was important, | | | | interesting.* Ask every happy customer you have |
| she replied, "One of my marketing goals is to do | | | | (they're all happy, right?) for just one referral of |
| at least 1 networking event a week." (I pointed | | | | someone who would be interested in your type |
| out that she just admitted to doing 2-3 a week - | | | | of goods or services, then call and use their name. |
| and perhaps doing 1 a week is smart and doing | | | | ("Hi I'm Fred and Ginger said I should call you. Isn't |
| triple that goal is causing some of the fatigue.) But | | | | Ginger great?") You already have one thing in |
| there's much more to the great American | | | | common - Ginger!* Create a network "hit list" of |
| business myth of networking.Myth 1: The more | | | | the exact kind of businesses you want to |
| you network, the more effective your | | | | network with - maybe you sell software and you |
| networking activities become.Truth 1: It's much | | | | want to meet IT managers at medium-size |
| more important to become well-known in 1-2 | | | | companies. Make the list and put it in your little |
| circles than to spread your networking activities | | | | black book or PDA. Focus your networking and |
| over many different groups. Depth beats breadth | | | | outreach activities on only those people - or |
| every time.I then asked her how networking was | | | | others who can refer you to those people.* Join |
| working for her. She said, "I don't think I have | | | | non-business groups and spend time doing |
| gotten a shred of business out of it in the last six | | | | non-business activities: Civic, social, religious, |
| months." Her rationale for doing networking: | | | | recreational, musical, athletic... the list is endless. |
| "Everybody knows that you build a business by | | | | Establish relationships with people in your group. |
| networking!" Does this make any sense? Or | | | | Perhaps you're a Moose and a realtor. A Moose, |
| worse, does it sound familiar?See if this | | | | as it turns out, wants to by a house from |
| networking scenario has happened to you:You | | | | another Moose. If so, you have the Moose |
| meet someone for 30 seconds. They mumble | | | | Market cornered! Are you into hand-drumming. |
| something about real estate as you are tuning | | | | Guess what? A hand-drummer will want to do |
| them out. They ask you what you do, and you | | | | business with another hand-drummer. Get it?* If |
| say you are in insurance. After 10 seconds of | | | | you do go to a "mixer" go with a targeted goal in |
| staring blankly at each other, you both head to | | | | mind. For example, your goal might be "to meet |
| the celery sticks for lack of anything better to | | | | three people on my target list and get their card |
| do.Myth 2: The cocktails and miniature wiener | | | | so I can follow up for breakfast, lunch, coffee or |
| circuit is the way to network to successTruth 2: | | | | badminton." A traditional "networking event" now |
| Networking with strangers to build business is | | | | becomes simply the first phase of your targeted |
| about as effective as going to a bar to get | | | | plan for global domination, and not an end in |
| married. In the words of Dr. Phil, "It simply ain't | | | | itself.Here's a final thought to shake up your |
| gonna happen that way."Here's why you're not | | | | networking mindset: Network with people who |
| going to meet your business soul mate at a | | | | already know you, like you, or have done |
| networking event:1) You aren't going to do | | | | business with you.Myth 3: Networking is all about |
| business with someone after meeting them for a | | | | getting more people to know what you do.Truth |
| few minutes and getting handed a poorly printed | | | | 3: Networking is all about getting people that |
| card.2) Businesses are built on relationships and | | | | already know you to share opportunities where |
| not "30-second commercials," no matter how | | | | you can be helpful to each other.Make 2-3 phone |
| effective and intriguing.3) Most of us have major | | | | calls a day to connect with people from past jobs, |
| trouble in explaining what we do, much less | | | | former clients, or influential people who have |
| getting past that explanation and listening for what | | | | expressed interest in you in the past.We all have |
| prospects need.4) Networking with strangers is | | | | a "fan base" that we grossly underutilize.Think |
| not targeted or specific and in fact is completely | | | | about tapping into friends, colleagues, mentors, |
| random. For some people, networking is exactly | | | | and family to mine the connections you already |
| as effective as cold calling, which is the least | | | | have at your fingertips.So get out there and |
| effective marketing tool there is.So am I saying | | | | network - but make it worth your investment of |
| that networking is a waste of time? Absolutely | | | | time and energy by networking smart. As your |
| not. What I'm saying is you need to start | | | | mother always said, "Don't network with |
| networking smarter.Here are a few thoughts to | | | | strangers."Marketing and innovation expert David |
| jog your noggin:* Network by having coffee or | | | | Newman has written 8 books and has been |
| lunch with people one on one. Get to know them | | | | quoted in dozens of national media outlets. David |
| and their business. They may become a prospect, | | | | is also a sought-after speaker and seminar leader. |
| alliance partner, or referral source. But aim first | | | | Visit for more free articles and resources. |