Remember the days before regular networking? When working for yourself, you planned the day the night before, where to go, and who you may need to speak to with a view to inspiring interest in what you have to offer? Constantly working on ‘leads.’ You do? Me too.
In reality, life before networking has never existed.
Mankind has been gathering in communities (tribes) of like-minded groups to share views, and advice,developing relationships since time began. It’s where we take succour and comfort, it’s where we develop, amongst a whole host of other things, a reliable reputation.
Planning the day the night before? Not if you are a networker. Those in business who are connected, with a regular date for business development and support have skills attained through vision, one of the many benefits of conversation.
Every day we’re able to build new business around networking. Think about it, if we reach out to someone sharing a common goal, perhaps offering support via new contacts, we set ourselves tasks. The smartest embrace those tasks and set about fulfilling them.
The most successful networkers? It’s those who create multiple objectives on their to-do list. Objectives are opportunities to help someone at each meeting we attend. Smart business people create busy, business …
Not only to benefit themselves but because those that they help remember the positive support and so pass that good impression on. That’s how we become a valuable member of a tribe, being someone who offers help and inspires others to give support.
Strong communities are created by pro-active networks, we see this in the social media world – those with the likes/the followers inspire more of the same.
Therefore before you dispel the benefits of structured in-person networking … consider where your next important piece of business is coming from. Think to yourself, ‘How do I get there?’
Most likely it’s ‘Chinese whispers,’ yes, through word-of-mouth. Perhaps your reputation as a pro-active problem solver, happy to help others has reached the ears of someone new … through networking.
CharlieKenny.me 