I had a conversation recently with a new BNI member who expressed that she has always been somewhat uncomfortable networking because she’s always been afraid of sounding like she’s being pushy, and she has a hard time knowing when it’s even “OKâ€? to approach the subject of business with other people. I told her what I’ve said countless times over the years to many other people–that the absolute key to networking appropriately is making sure to always honor the event.
You can network any time and any place, but as long as you are honoring the event, there is nothing to be afraid of. However, this means that in some cases you are going to network a lot differently than you would in other cases. For example, networking at a chamber mixer is one thing, while networking at church social event is something completely different.
It is essential to understand that networking does not mean that you should constantly be trying to sell people your products or services. Networking does mean that you should constantly build relationships. The best way to build relationships is to help someone whenever possible.
In order to appropriately network at a church social event, for example, you should make contacts, put people together, help others and build relationships. However, you should not be actively promoting your business. You should simply focus on putting people together and helping others.
Always keep your networking goals in sight at all events and opportunities, but don’t become a networking vulture or someone that everyone else runs from when they see you coming. Honor the event and tailor your networking strategies so that you fit in without being tuned out.
Always be sincere; and remember that no one minds the opportune exchange of information that will benefit one or more people, even when that exchange takes the form of helping someone..
This entry was posted on Monday, November 5th, 2007 at 7:20 pm and is filed under Networking, BNI, Introducing Yourself, Ivan Misner. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.One Response to “Honor the Event”
Leave a Reply
November 11th, 2007 at 8:33 am
I was recently training a group of bank manager on generating new business through networking. A bigg focus for many of them was community groups.
One of the attendees had been invited by the leader of a local church to come along on a Sunday morning to meet members of the congregation. Enthusiastic about the prospects that this invitation offered, he was all ready to go along, fully stocked up on business cards and with his patter at the ready.
Your philosophy of ‘honour the event’ was so appropriate in this instance. I asked him what impression he thought he would make by invading this local congregation on a religious occasion and ‘hunting’ for business.
Wouldn’t it be better to join the congregation out of natural interest with respect for everyone there and their reason for being there? Couldn’t he achieve more by becoming part of the same congregation and building relationships and, vitally, trust over a period of time?
Fortunately he agreed with me and chose to still take up the invitation, but to leave his business cards at home.