Networking Is a Dirty Word
That was my opinion a couple of years ago. The thought: networking is painful and awkward, stuck in a room with a bunch of strangers trying to impress one another. Smarmy sales guys in suits trying to sell you insurance. High-powered executives making big deals and not bothering to even look at you. People that just want to talk about work, when I have more interesting, personal activities to tend to.
Yes, this definition of networking is out there. Some people thrive on it. You can guess I was not one of those people. So after a few too many slimy handshakes, I abandoned networking as something not for me.
But that was a hasty conclusion. At the time, I was working in a corporate job, not thrilled with the industry nor the work, so of course, the last thing I wanted to do was talk more about it. Now that I have pursued my passion and hand-built a company, I can’t STOP talking about it. I talk about it because I love it, but also because I want to help people with this talent we have. I don’t feel like a smarmy salesperson – I feel like a real contributor to the small business world.
That shift in thought made all the difference. Once you realize you have so much to offer, a conversation becomes an exploration more than a chore. You listen. You give - work tips, a referral, or maybe just support. It has evolved from a business card exchange to a relationship.
In the end, networking is all about relationships. It’s not a contest to see how many business cards you can accumulate, or how many people you can add to your email newsletter. It’s about quality. Well, of course, it’s about business, but anyone can shake hands and give empty promises. You are not like that so don’t surround yourself with people like that. Your network will reflect the company you keep. You will only be more inspired when around motivated, smart, trustworthy people.
And when you’re not having a good networking experience, not meeting the right kinds of people or businesses, then it’s time to try different networking events. But don’t stop networking. Don’t throw up your hands and abandon it. Don’t jump to a hasty conclusion about it, as I had. Just give it time and attention and you’ll soon find you gain back what you give.
Yes, this definition of networking is out there. Some people thrive on it. You can guess I was not one of those people. So after a few too many slimy handshakes, I abandoned networking as something not for me.
But that was a hasty conclusion. At the time, I was working in a corporate job, not thrilled with the industry nor the work, so of course, the last thing I wanted to do was talk more about it. Now that I have pursued my passion and hand-built a company, I can’t STOP talking about it. I talk about it because I love it, but also because I want to help people with this talent we have. I don’t feel like a smarmy salesperson – I feel like a real contributor to the small business world.
That shift in thought made all the difference. Once you realize you have so much to offer, a conversation becomes an exploration more than a chore. You listen. You give - work tips, a referral, or maybe just support. It has evolved from a business card exchange to a relationship.
In the end, networking is all about relationships. It’s not a contest to see how many business cards you can accumulate, or how many people you can add to your email newsletter. It’s about quality. Well, of course, it’s about business, but anyone can shake hands and give empty promises. You are not like that so don’t surround yourself with people like that. Your network will reflect the company you keep. You will only be more inspired when around motivated, smart, trustworthy people.
And when you’re not having a good networking experience, not meeting the right kinds of people or businesses, then it’s time to try different networking events. But don’t stop networking. Don’t throw up your hands and abandon it. Don’t jump to a hasty conclusion about it, as I had. Just give it time and attention and you’ll soon find you gain back what you give.
Labels: networking, small business
posted by Anonymous at
10:50 PM
2 Comments:
Great post about networking! When your passion is coming through, people can't help but get excited with you. They start thinking, "Who do I know that can use this service?"
P.S. I can't help but stress out about my use of grammar when commenting on your posts... perhaps you can spruce these up like you did my web content!
Thanks for the comment! Glad you liked it. And glad you posted even with the fear of grammar correction. Ha! You have nothing to worry about in that department. If we were such sticklers, I wouldn't want to be my friend on email. Talk to you soon!
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