| Networking is a term that didn't exist | | | | BUSINESS CARD WAS ON FIRE!!I threw down the |
| (academically) until almost 40 years ago. | | | | microphone, lunged at the table and snatched |
| It's a word uttered in and around the | | | | the burning business card from the candle! As |
| business world every day, yet is unclear to | | | | I toppled over the chair in front of me I |
| most as to how it actually works. Still, it's | | | | yelled something to the effect of "Oh my |
| a fundamental tool to the success of any | | | | God!" shook the flames off my half burnt card |
| business.By definition, the term networking | | | | and regained my balance to a roaring applause |
| is the development and maintenance of | | | | laughter from the audience."And...uh...this |
| mutually valuable relationships. It's not | | | | just goes to show you ladies and gentleman," |
| schmoozing; it's not just handing out | | | | I fumbled, "When you deal the deck of |
| business cards, selling, marketing or small | | | | business cards without eye contact or |
| talk. Those activities are part of | | | | consideration...uh...people may as well set |
| networking, but unfortunately, many people's | | | | them on fire - because they're not going to |
| misunderstanding of the term causes them | | | | read them anyway!"Whew! Nice save, huh? |
| network ineffectively.The following are The 7 | | | | Yeah well, that client did NOT invite me back |
| Habits of Highly Horrible Networkers (TM) , | | | | the following year.Habit #4: Unprofessional |
| and they can stand in the in your way of | | | | Information |
| developing mutually valuable relationships. | | | | |
| So, next time you attend your Chamber or | | | | It's remarkable how often some business |
| Association meeting, keep these ideas in mind | | | | cards will contain unprofessional |
| so you can offer the most value to your | | | | information. Have you ever received someone's |
| fellow networkers.Habit #1: Attitude | | | | card with one of those ambiguous, offensive |
| | | | and questionable email addresses with AOL, |
| Much like the development of any skill, | | | | Hotmail or Yahoo? Not only are those email |
| networking begins with attitude. | | | | servers frustrating and ineffective for |
| Unfortunately, Highly Horrible Networkers | | | | business communication, but just imagine how |
| have the wrong attitude. If you've ever | | | | it looks when someone has to send business |
| attended a networking function before, | | | | emails |
| perhaps you've encountered businesspeople who | | | | |
| act in the following ways:The hard sell - | | | | |
| they believe networking is about one thing | | | | |
| and one thing only: selling products and | | | | I have nothing against AOL, Hotmail or |
| services to everyone in the room.Business | | | | Yahoo. But if possible, always send and |
| only - they're not there to make friends. | | | | receive emails using the address of your |
| They're not there to have fun. And they're | | | | organization's website, i.e., If you must |
| certainly not interested in developing | | | | use free servers like MSN, SBC and the like, |
| mutually valuable relationships.It's all | | | | choose a simple username that doesn't |
| about me - they don't take the time to help | | | | question your professionalism, i.e., Habit |
| and share with others, but rather focus on | | | | #4: Sit with the Wrong Company |
| their own needs. In other words, they can't | | | | |
| spell "N-E-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G" without | | | | I'll never forget my first Chamber meeting. |
| "I."Attitude is fundamental to effective | | | | One afternoon I sat down with 6 other local |
| networking. In fact, it's the most important | | | | businesspeople for our monthly networking |
| habit to understand.Habit #2: Dig Your Well | | | | lunch. Naturally, the first thing I did was |
| WHEN You're Thirsty | | | | look at everyone's nametags. (Not only to |
| | | | learn their names but to examine the |
| One of my favorite networking books is | | | | effectiveness of their nametags' design and |
| called Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty, | | | | placement.)But these were the nametags I saw: |
| by Harvey McKay. It's probably the most well | | | | ADM Financial, ADM Financial, ADM Financial, |
| known text on this subject. The key to | | | | ADM Financial, ADM Financial, ADM Financial, |
| McKay's work is making your friends, | | | | Scott. (Company name changed to protect the |
| establishing contacts and developing | | | | victims.)Highly Horrible networkers not only |
| relationships - before you need them. Getting | | | | attend meetings with their friends and/or |
| what you want by helping others get what they | | | | coworkers, but they talk and sit with them |
| want first.Enter the Highly Horrible | | | | the entire time! These are people with whom |
| Networkers, who only network because:a) They | | | | they've worked 5 days a week, 8 hours a day |
| need new customers | | | | for the past 3 years! This is not a good |
| | | | technique to maximize your company's |
| b) They have a new product or service to | | | | visibility.This habit creates an elitist, |
| sell | | | | unfriendly attitude. And think how |
| | | | uncomfortable this makes the one or two |
| c) Their boss forced them to do soTake my | | | | people sitting at the table who don't work |
| friend Lawrence, for example. He's quite | | | | for that company! It's unfair to them because |
| successful in the insurance business; however | | | | they're unable to meet a diverse group of |
| he recently approached me about using | | | | people with whom to develop mutually valuable |
| networking to obtain some hot leads."My | | | | relationships! Remember: If you're sitting |
| numbers are down. My boss is on my back. I | | | | with YOUR company - you're sitting with the |
| gotta get out there and start networking...or | | | | WRONG company.Habit #6: Small Talk is for |
| else! What do you suggest?""Networking takes | | | | Suckers |
| time," I explained, "and you can't expect to | | | | |
| come into loads of business or dozens of | | | | Highly Horrible Networkers forget about the |
| potential clients without developing the | | | | small talk. It's a waste of their time. They |
| relationships first."As you already learned, | | | | don't ask or answer about "New and exciting |
| networking is the development and maintenance | | | | things happening at work" or "How |
| of mutually valuable relationships...over | | | | Thanksgiving was," they simply jump right |
| time. If you try to dig your well WHEN you're | | | | into (what they believe to be) the most |
| thirsty, you may never find a drink.Habit #3: | | | | important part of the discussion: selling 17 |
| Dealin' the Deck | | | | of their products before the salad |
| | | | arrives.Has this ever happened to you? For |
| Habit #3 is a dangerous one, and it happens | | | | example, has someone ever introduced |
| all the time. Have you ever seen people | | | | themselves, breezed right through the |
| distribute 173 of their business cards during | | | | conversation and flat out asked you for a |
| the first 5 minutes of the event? They move | | | | referral?Refer you? I don't even know |
| as quickly as possible from one person to the | | | | you!Reciprocating self-disclosure is the most |
| next. They don't make eye contact, they don't | | | | effective way to build rapport and ultimately |
| ask to exchange cards - they just deal them | | | | develop trust. The people you want to do |
| out."Here's my card, call me if you need a | | | | business with are those with whom you have |
| designer! See ya later.""But...I...never even | | | | built that rapport and trust. So, small talk |
| got your name!" you muse.This is guaranteed | | | | is not for suckers. Debra Fine, author of The |
| to make people feel puny and insignificant. | | | | Fine Art of Small Talk put it best when she |
| Notice these Highly Horrible Networkers don't | | | | said: "Small talk is the biggest talk we |
| spend time actually meeting and establishing | | | | do."Habit #7: Limitations |
| rapport with new people; but rather | | | | |
| concentrate on giving out as many cards as | | | | Finally, Highly Horrible Networkers believe |
| possible. It's quantity over quality, | | | | there is only one specific time and place for |
| right?Wrong.Dealin' the Deck is one of the | | | | networking. It's called "A Room with A Sign |
| most common networking pet peeves. Whenever I | | | | Posted Outside That Says So." In other words, |
| give my program The Habits of Highly Horrible | | | | they only network when someone forces them |
| Networkers (TM) , I walk out into the | | | | to. They don't believe networking |
| audience for a quick demonstration of this | | | | opportunities in places like elevators, |
| habit. I grab a stack of business cards and | | | | busses, supermarkets or parks.That's it? A |
| quickly jump from table to table tossing out | | | | measly half hour for networking? Doesn't give |
| dozens of them without as much looking at the | | | | you much time, does it?The truth about |
| audience members I'm handing them | | | | networking is that it can happen anytime, |
| to.Unfortunately during one speech, it | | | | anywhere. There is a time and a place for |
| backfired.Literally.Last year, I was | | | | networking - it's called ANY time, and ANY |
| demonstrating Highly Horrible Habit #3 when | | | | place.© 2005 All Rights Reserved.Scott |
| speaking at a local business meeting. While | | | | Ginsberg is a professional speaker, "The |
| hopping from table to table as dozens of | | | | World's Foremost Expert on Nametags" and the |
| cards flew through the air and into people's | | | | author of HELLO my name is Scott and The |
| laps and salads, someone yelled out, "Oh my | | | | Power of Approachability. He helps people |
| God!"I stopped dead in my tracks. I looked | | | | MAXIMIZE their approachability and become |
| back at the head table and noticed that one | | | | UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one |
| of my cards landed in the | | | | conversation at a time. |
| centerpiece......which was a candle!MY | | | | |