So I was talking to Ross who attended networking only a handful of times before giving it away.
What’s up Ross? Leaving in the middle of sowing season?
‘Wha? Charlie, I’ve come along to enough meetings now to understand my market is simply not in the room … I need employers of staff, with production lines or shifts working, or both.’
Give it time, Ross. Educate the audience on who could use your product or service. Give the audience time to buy in to you, the person and they may bring you business … through the depth of contacts …
Now, given that Ross was new to the community, he found he was in need of a whole lot of homework. Being an experienced networker, he was taking the broader, general view that networking was able to cater for all needs, and …
Sometimes it doesn’t. The audience needs to know more if you are presenting a niche product. Our job is to work smarter if we are committing to a network without letting people down.
A few years ago I was addressing a meeting of locals from a rural community. Tourism and agriculture were the mainstay of household income. Home support was another, although most of the ‘tool vans’ worked away from home during the week.
Now, after stating my case for networking with the farm community, I asked the question:
‘Who do you turn to when you need to know something important?’
After a few wise-cracks, the odd snigger thrown in as well, I asked the same question – with the words ‘about business’ tagged on the end …
We talk to the bank or the accountant.
I continued … before you go to the bank etc., who do you confide in?
You mean apart from the Mrs? Well I talk to my neighbour, or the lads at the pub.
‘Correct.’ I said, and before anyone had time to add something …
‘That’s the value of having a network, that’s why we meet regularly, to mull over, take advice, share and begin to ,see more clearly …’
So at the end of our meeting, I was chatting to one of my new friends who declined my invitation to a place in the new group.
Thanks, Charlie, I understand what you mean about the networking, but it’s not for me.’
I’m sorry to hear that, came my reply.
Yes, well, we’ve been doing it all our lives here (networking) – we’ve all got to know each other pretty well. Good luck with it, though I can’t see networking catching on here.
I smiled to myself and thought against relating more of the story of time and trust to Ross.
Shaking hands with Ross, we agreed it was to be the long game given the rural community he was looking to inspire. Communities are built on good, long-term relationships and if you are not prepared to spend time on understanding the depth of that community … then success may not be yours any-time soon.
CharlieKenny.me 