One of the areas that I have been working hard to improve in the last year is that of the “N” word. Whisper it quietly, it causes differing responses in some people.
What is the N?
Networking – sharing who we are and who we know to others in a group
It’s been a great revelation to me, but it has also been a challenge. Comfort zone and all that.
But do you know what I have discovered? The level of trust that builds up by attending meetings week after week.
It isn’t the ‘quick fix’; I’m sure that we have experienced the ‘trawlers’, those who come to a networking group as a visitor, hoover up all the business cards that they can during the meeting and then are not seen again for dust. That isn’t what it’s about.
Those who are successful in networking are those who invest time, not in themselves and their own gain, but in the business of others.
One aspect which I like about the NetworkB2B group that I belong to, is the holistic approach.
What I mean by this is that on the days in-between network meetings, when the phone rings and a fellow member has been talking to one of their clients about my products and has a referral for me.
That is true networking, the long game, the personal investment, the maximising of membership opportunities.
We encourage members to take part in the free members training and promote their business though a unique podcast
Do you think of others that you know and how you might be able to help them though your contacts?
When the spotlight is focused on others, then it reflects on you.