Wondering if you are the real deal as a networker? This article will help you find the answer.
In business today, networking is a key factor in building relationships and increasing business year after year. Over the past 5-10 years there has been a dramatic shift in networking from years past. Business people are coming to networking functions in droves because traditional cold calling and door to door sales have never been more challenging. In business networking today, there are typically three types of networkers that come to mind.
The first and most common out there is the taker. This is an individual that attends events and tries to collect names as a way to push appointments and close sales. Unfortunately, these guys tend to burn enough people that word quickly spreads and their reputation’s blown. Sometimes they stick around and we can physically see people moving away from them at an event like avoiding the plague or eventually they drop out and we never see them again. We shouldn’t be too hard on the taker, as getting sales is what they get paid to do. They probably haven’t learned how to utilize networking effectively to achieve long term results.
The second type of networker is the fastest growing segment we are seeing out there, the apparent giver. These are the people that have heard the phrase givers gain and know how to play the game. Well almost… The problem with this group is they make a lot of empty promises and may even ask the right questions, but rarely follow-through on anything they say. Their usual ploy is to tell us how they can help us in order to gain our trust, but that’s usually where it ends. On behalf of the apparent giver, they may really want to help you, but simply don’t have the follow through skills or more commonly, don’t see immediate reciprocation from you and get turned off. The most obvious downside to being an apparent giver is that your reputation might get damaged as you can be seen as someone who breaks promises. With the apparent giver there is a clear game plan in mind, giving is fine, but where’s my gain? One might be using the givers gain motto or credo with little action to back it up.
And that’s what leads us to the third type of networker and my personal favorite person to partner up with, the true giver. This individual understands the big picture in effective networking; you MUST GIVE selflessly regardless of what’s in it for you. Being a true giver in networking is something that has to be learned, believed and applied. A true giver believes that you can never give too much and is ALWAYS looking for connections for others. This includes clients, networking associates, family and friends. Now wait a minute “what’s in it for me” you might ask? The truth is in the short term either something or nothing. In the long term, EVERYTHING! You’ve heard catch phrases like “good karma,” “giver gain,” or “what goes around comes around,” to explain how this works. At the end of the day, if you WORK at giving and do it with your heart, it will lead you towards your business goals.
Remember, effective networking might be inside of you, but it’s also a learned skill. And just like any skill, it needs to be learned, practiced and improved on a regular basis. Try not to be discouraged by your past experiences, read up on the topic or speak directly to the true giver in your existing circles, ask how they found their groove. The fact is that it’s hard work to start, but if being a true giver is inside of you, it could be the most rewarding business activity you engage in.
© 2007 All Rights Reserved – Do not reproduce this document without written permission from Steve Fretzin at Sales Results, Inc.