Networking

I love Rotary! So do my friends Mary, Leah, and Lars, just to name a few. You’re probably wondering, what’s the deal with Rotary – isn’t it an old boys club? That’s what I thought too! And either that’s not the case, or I happen to enjoy attending an old boys club. You decide.

Seriously, we have the greatest time there. I’m relatively new to it and so I haven’t had the chance to find out what motivators brought my fellow Rotarian to the table to breakfast together at the Thursday morning club, but for me it was business networking that led me to it. Little did I know, that I was about to join a group whose reach was so broad, whose goals were so human, and whose achievements so many – a club I am now so proud to be a member of. It has come to play such a large part in how I connect with the world around me on a social and charitable level, and it is also an important source of business connections. It’s the very best of networking – and I love it!

I know there’s a virtual ocean of information floating around the internet extolling the merits of networking and why business owners should give it such high priority but I wanted to share my thoughts on it too…since you’re reading me and not just them. And because I want you to know that even if the thought of it has made you shudder and you’ve found ways to avoid doing it, if you are too insulated in your business, missing an infusion of new connections, or simply need some new perspective in how you approach your business, networking IS a highly efficient way to make connections.

Skilled communicators and people persons often seem to connect with ease at networking functions. Though I by no means intend to over inflate the importance of it, from my own experience networking can be an easy, fun & inspiring way to grow your business.

Whether it comes naturally or not, it pays to take the following points into consideration:

Where: You have to have good places to network! Nobody wants to go do something they don’t enjoy, so try a few different places. Move around a bit until and find networking that feels good because if it doesn’t feel good you likely won’t do it. If you hate networking at the lunch clubs, try a Chamber of Commerce chapter, or my favorite, a Rotary Club. Networking is huge – you don’t have to look far to find it.

How: Don’t rush it! Relax, enjoy yourself, have some fun and realize that networking takes time. This is not a track meet…the most productive business networking happens when you take the time to get to know people, and listen to them. If it’s a place where you enjoy yourself, you’ll be back again. The most productive networking happens when you take the time to attend regularly and build quality connections. Then again, by all means if you end up in a networking room that’s a total bust, don’t be afraid to move along…just don’t give up.

Why: Some people do it to build personal connections, others are more focused on building business connections. As has happened with Rotary, I went seeking to connect with business people and found myself around what would become some super pals…that was super. I’ve learned that in every social opportunity is a business opportunity and vice versa – if you’re open to it. If you’re networking for business, to be a success you do need to:

a) have a solid business / product

b) strive to have good social and interpersonal skills – be your likeable self

c) network in an appropriate place

d) allow time for your extended network to develop

What to take: There all kinds of goals and challenges you can set yourself when you go out networking, but above all the one thing you must have with you is your business card. There are a other things you may carry with you, depending on your business or purpose at the event, but when a quality connection occurs and an exchange of information is happening, a business card is the simplest form of making that exchange easy. I keep a box of cards in my office, and a box in my car. It’s very VERY rare that I’m caught without a card…it’s also rare that I hand them out from my office, but quite common that I’ve refilled my purse from the glove compartment before entering an event.

In closing, all of the above points could be further broken down and discussed but that’s my basic approach to networking in a nutshell. While it’s not the be all and end all to building connections, we’ve sure had a lot of fun with it!

I’d love to hear about your experiences and favorite networking places or groups! Feel free to comment here or send an email via our website.

You can check out my great Rotary club online at www.SADaybreakRotary.com