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