If your goal is to build your business or get to know others in your niche or hobby group, then you know how important networking is. I work as a consultant with companies regarding social media and human resources, so it is important that I understand that networking is critical to my success. I need clients to grow my business and stay gainfully employed, so networking is a key asset in achieving this. But you would be surprised at how many times I have seen supposed “professional” networking individuals network poorly at an event.
Here are some signs that your networking may be working against you:
Networking is a sport:
Networking takes being proactive and assertive. Standing in the corner waiting for people to come and approach you is a diva move. You can’t assume that everyone knows you or is familiar with your background and expertise—networking is about introducing yourself to people, not for acting stand-offish and antisocial.
You are on the phone more than you are networking:
If you are at a networking event and you are spending more time tweeting and updating your Facebook status than you are moving in the crowd and talking to others at the event, then you are losing. Add that to looking at your phone while actively networking and you are sending a signal that the person you are talking to isn’t worth your full attention. Put the phone away and actively engage the people that are trying to network with you.
Being clique-ish:
If you are in a networking environment and you spend most of your time talking to your friends and your “clique”, then you are not really networking. Networking is about introducing yourself to new people and communicating about your business, skill-set, current events, etc. I go to a lot of events and what I see is people sticking with the people that they already know which kills your networking opportunities. Not to say that spending time at a networking event with people you know is bad, but you should be spending the majority of your time building relationships with people that you may not know so well.
Business card mis-info:
Not having updated business cards with you to hand to people you network with is not a good thing. You need to be on your A game and your presentation is key—business cards that are outdated and have incorrect information will kill your chances of networking with people who may want to do business with you. And make sure you have plenty of cards on you as well.
After networking, you should have a bevy of colleagues to approach ideas to and possibly pitch for business proposals. If you leave the event not having talked shop with people, or with not many new business cards or contacts, then chances are, your “networking” was working against you.
Utilizing the tips above may help you truly get the most out of your next networking experience.
Please add or share your networking tips in the comment section below.
New Blog Post-: Signs that your networking may be working against you http://bit.ly/hJa0ij #cubiclechick
Yes, those are all definite no-nos, especially looking at your phone while you’re talking to someone else. Rude!
Great tips!
Jeanine
Thanks Jeanine for commenting. I was at once guilty of looking at my phone when talking to people. I never really gave it a thought. Then one day, a colleague pointed out to me how rude and inappropriate that was and I quickly got my act together. This was several years ago, but people are still guilty of doing this. Sometimes it takes someone else to point it out for you to change.
Hi Danyelle,
Glad you brought these up. To me, this seems just like common courtesy, but I’m amazed at how many times I see people who consider themselves professional checking their phone every couple minutes while holding on a conversation.
I even walked away from one lady who couldn’t stop looking at her phone. How rude.
This is awesome information. Thanks for sharing!
Gregory
Gregory, thanks for commenting. I also visited your blog and it has a lot of useful information. People have to realize that networking is a sport—it doesn’t just “happen” to you, you have to work at it.
I’ve always wondered if my niche ever does well in networking. I find that, even though businesses need me, I tend to get ignored at networking events because, “trademark, copyright, advertising and promotion law” just tends to make people snooze.
Anthony, I think if you went to events that focused on that or centered around business law, legal, and business start up, you would be in good company. Thanks for commenting.
Great post, Danyelle! I tend not to go to networking activities very much, but it seems like I run into a lot of people who do those things. I must admit that I’m not completely innocent on this front (I was at an event three years ago, and as the only teetotaler when everyone got drunk and started talking about talking things over, so I called my fiancee while I was waiting for them to be ready to go home.), but if you are there to get to know people, you have to know what you are trying to do.
Steve, thanks for commenting. I by no means have been error free in my networking. But what’s good about life is that you can take a mistake, learn from it, and become better because of it. I am sure at your next networking event, you will be amazing. 🙂
Hi Danyelle, I agree, you have to make an effort at networking events. I’m not particularly fond of them to be honest.
I have been to a couple that were worth while and fun, but much of the time people do hang in cliques and it find it a bit of a turn off.
You have to go there and put effort into it, do what you are there to do… and go!
Jayne
Jayne, thanks for commenting. I understand people wanting to go to networking events with people they know, but if they aren’t branching out to meet new people, they are doing themselves a disservice.