This edition first published 2016
© 2016 Stefan Thomas
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1
Why “instant” networking?
When people think of networking they often think of a room full of people introducing themselves to each other and going through the ritual of exchanging business cards. You probably picture everyone wearing a suit.
It's likely that expressions such as “elevator pitch” and “referrals” come to mind when you picture what networking looks like. It's likely that you think about shaking hands with lots of people and making small talk.
What networking really is though (for me at least) is a set of activities designed to grow one's personal network, add people to your address book, have more people that you can pick up the phone to and that isn't a cold call.
Networking events, in the small business, entrepreneur, professional and corporate world, are a huge part of the networking activities I refer to. But they are only one part of what networking actually means in the early part of the 21st century. There is a whole lot more that you can (and in my opinion should) be doing to accelerate the growth of your network and decrease the time it takes people to either decide to do business with you or consider you for a position in their organization.
I get asked all the time “what is the point of networking?” After all, at the time of publication in 2016, the online opportunities to promote oneself, not least through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, Blab, blogging and other platforms, are massive. But in my opinion, this is all part of the networking activities I referred to earlier. Networking is not just the semi-formal, ritualized exchange of the business card over breakfast. Networking is everything that you do to grow your network of contacts, while strengthening as many of those relationships as you can. Networking is the opportunity to take people who are on the very fringes of your network (for example, someone you have only met once at an event) and move that relationship forward to the extent that you trust each other and would do business with each other.
Networking, done right, speeds up the process by which people get to know, like and trust you.
Networking skills are for life, not just for breakfast
I sometimes think that a lot of people feel that networking is somehow separate to their other business activities. That the skills involved in networking aren't something you need to bother about unless you go to networking events. But I truly believe that the skills you develop in networking are essential in other parts of your career or business, and that networking is actually a pretty safe environment to develop those skills.
