I am so sick of these "networking", "mixer"..."social" events where...the PURPOSE of the event is to NETWORK...now, let me just take a moment and break this down for those that just don't quite GET IT...NETWORK: A set of connections or contacts...associate or interact....NOT... I'M NOT REALLY HERE TO NETWORK I ONLY WANT TO SHOVE MY CARD IN YOUR FACE SO YOU WILL SHUT UP, I CAN TALK AND THEN WALK AWAY TO SOMEONE ELSE SO I CAN SHOVE A CARD IN THEIR FACE AND LATER WHEN YOU CALL, I WON'T RESPOND BECAUSE APPARENTLY I
HAVE ALL THE WORK I NEED OR...THOUGH I DON'T OFFER THE SERVICES THAT YOU DO I'M NOT GOING TO REFER TO YOU UNTIL YOU REFER SOMEONE TO ME.
I have stacks of cards from these so called NETWORKING EVENTS and I can count on one hand how many people return my call or emails when I follow up with them the next day...many DELETE WITHOUT READING...yes the sender can see that. So tell me this...How can I refer anyone to you if you can't even return my call for a follow up meeting? LET'S CUT OUT THE PRETENSES!!! NETWORKING is not about just getting immediate business...it's about BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS...and some times that means YOU have to be the one serving others, referring to others, working with others. Some of my best clients I have referred people to their businesses be it a restaurant, a hotel or a lawn service, etc....WE ARE IN A PEOPLE BUSINESS....ACT LIKE IT! If you have had a bad "networking" experience...GET OVER IT and get a better quality of networking individuals....individuals that UNDERSTAND the NETWORKING CONCEPT. When it is applied correctly...we all not only SURVIVE we THRIVE!
As I said before....LET'S STOP WORKING IN SILOS...DIVERSIFY...CONNECT THE DOTS...Let's ma
ke profits TOGETHER! My Grandpa used to tell me "A closed mouth does not get fed." As a child I really didn't understand what he meant. But as an adult it is crystal clear. I can't help you if you don't open your mouth and let me know.
YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NET WORTH!....So I ask....HOW IS YOUR NETWORK?
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