1 Not paying appropriate attention
Imagine as someone moves towards you to shake your hand. As it extends towards you, the person has already moved their eyes and conversation to the next person they are meeting. You end up shaking hands with them and looking at their ear. Networking is the start of a relationship, and if our first impression is that we are not important, then that is what will stay with us. In the same way, when we are speaking to people we should give them appropriate attention to make them feel important to us and not always look over their shoulder or even these days at our phones while in the discussion.
2 Not respecting the organiser of an event
Often the most connected and influential person at any networking event is the organiser. Not only do they have access to everyone in the event they also arrange other sessions and hence by default could be a connector. When we attend networking events, the goal is to meet people who help us fulfil a need. What that need is will depend on the person. It only stands to reason that if we want to get results quickly, then the organiser could help us reach our GOAL if they wish to help us.
Having a conversation with the organiser to see if you can help them at all would be greatly appreciated. One of the quickest was to generate goodwill or lose it, is to attend the event or not. People who arrange networking events often have to commit financially and when people book and do not turn up it can be very frustrating and even financially penalising. If you say you are going to attend an event, then confirm in advance, then turn up and if you can’t make it then cancel in advance. People do remember repeat offenders, and it’s a great way to lose credibility even before you meet.
3 “Machine Gun-ing” Business cards
Handing out your Business cards like it was “a machine gun spewing bullets” and moving on the next person is another way to fail in networking. These days if you hand your business card to the average networker all you will achieve is to be put on their spam list or it will be thrown away. To hand out a business card without the value of a conversation to back it up does little to encourage further interaction. Networking is the start of the relationship, it is the first step and what you do next and for subsequent interactions is what generates results.
4 Scorched earth networking
This occurs when people attend a networking event once and then do not go back to it. If we look at every relationship we have in our lives to make them truly valuable we needed multiple interactions where we “built “ our relationship. Networking is the same if we want people to like us, help us and even buy from us then we need to see them again. Often with many networking groups available to us, we end up running from one to the next and not revisiting so that we can move to the next level. It is important to choose our groups wisely, and some may not be worth revisiting. My warning is not to make this choice based on making a sale or not make the decisions based on how that group can enrich your life and how you would feel being a part of it. Is it’s the right group then business will come.
5 Selling AT everyone
Time to be honest here. Hands up all those who hope to sell something at a networking event! And there is fundamentally nothing wrong with this. It’s more about how it is done. If everyone is selling, then no one is listening. We just want the other person to “shut up” so we can sell “at them”. The secret to networking is to realise that firstly this is not a “slot machine- money in money out”, it is more of bank activity “Money in and let it grow, then reap multiple rewards “ We need to build relationships with the people we meet. Relationship building doesn’t mean we have to invite everyone out for a meal. It means we have to be genuinely interested in them and helping enhance their life. For example, if it’s showing interest and asking questions about them. Our Goal is to find a way to help them, refer them, introduce them to others, to advise and even help them with ‘after work needs” they may have.
6 The Elevator Pitch doesn’t work
“Elevator Pitch” often fails because of the word “Pitch”. People think the idea is to sell in the time an elevator rises –so they sell. Nobody likes being heavily sold to at networking events, let alone trapped in an elevator. The original intent was more along the lines of what will follow. We shall call it the “Quick Connect”. To in a few seconds, get people to like you, understand what you do and, want to get to know you better. This allows them to buy if they wish to. Or even remember and refer you.
In the same way, this is why so many people dislike speed networking which is more like “speed selling” and also why it is not as effective as it could be. We will always meet someone who has met a client in this manner but this will be a one-off, and we are looking for an effective strategy that works the majority of the time not by luck. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while
7 Barging in
When two people are engaged in a deep conversation, there is little more impolite than to push your way in. If you are not sure, then stand there politely for a few seconds and see if they invite you to join them. Most people will if they are open.
This can often be seen in the body language, and they may not be directly facing each other. If you need to break in( not just to hand out cards) because you are leaving then it would be polite to excuse yourself, say why you are breaking in. Then do what you need to and leave so they can continue do not take over the conversation.
8 Expecting results too quickly
Networking and becoming the centre of your own network is like brushing your teeth. We have to do it every day. If you do not brush your teeth, then you don’t see a difference immediately, but after a while, your teeth suffer. It’s a bit of a leap of faith and trust in the experts. If however, you decide to brush our teeth for 8 hours once a month you can also expect to get rotten teeth.
9 Not Follow Up.
Whether you have promised to contact someone you met or they, have emailed you to say nice to meet you then- follow up. When you follow up, it immediately says ” I appreciate our time, and you and I do what I say I will” This enhances our credibility and especially as credibility or likeability is one of the three piers of people doing business with us it’s a pretty big reason to do so.
If we do not follow up with the people we have met then we may not as well have bothered attending the event at all. It is also important to follow up appropriately based on your conversation. That means do not send a big sales email with a list of your services yourself unless they specifically asked for it.
10 Only Networking for Jobs (or clients)
I often find especially in larger companies that Management does not encourage networking because their staff often go just to find their next job. Networking as you will have realised by now is also about getting new business, Making connections that can help you in your personal life as well as business- basically, it makes life easier.