OK OK, I don't really hate networking, but there are some aspects of networking I really do hate. Why do you care? Because if you understand WHY I hate these things YOU will make more money. Let me explain:
I was thinking about this in my car the other day. Networking is like hunting for birds in the bushes with a Gatling gun. You can't really see if any birds are actually in the bush but you shoot anyway. Every once in a while a bird drops dead out of a bush and you think "Success! This really works!" Except the gun fired 100 rounds and the bird was sick...
Networking's alot like that. You spend 80 percent of your time networking and every once in a while you get a referral. Success! This really works! Except you've spent dozens of hours to find a client that wants a $1000 job. Sound familiar?
When most people decide to go into business, they are brilliant at "the thing" that they do. They may take business classes and hear things like - "you must spend time marketing your business" and that networking is important. So they join a group with a vague idea of what they're supposed to be doing and what they'll get out of it. Meanwhile, they can't identify who they REALLY want as a client (their true target market), and they go in with the hope of thousands of dollars in referrals and quickly become very disappointed.
See, most people are networking in the dark. Well, let me flip on the light switch!!
Networking groups are great and they're really important to your business IF and only if you understand how deep networking really is.
Take out a penny and study it. Right now. Study the penny for two minutes. Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back.
So what did you notice?
The penny is more complex than that thing you left on the sidewalk because it wasn't worth picking up... Networking is like that too.
The thing that drives me crazy about networking groups is that some of them offer pretty good education on how to work their system. The problem is most people think that's it. "Oh I see, it's a penny. Well, that's all I need to know...so where are my referrals? This system doesn't work!"
By their very nature, networking groups focus on referrals and results and when people don't see the results they want, the "system" doesn't work. It IS the system's fault (despite what the group will tell you) to the extent that nobody told them how to work it as it applies to their business and it's overall vision.
If you're out there in a networking group or going to a chamber and you don't know exactly what you're looking for (and it isn't "as many referrals as you can get") STOP!!
If you don't know where you're going that's exactly where you'll end up. And if you're just out there giving referrals to get referrals and you have no idea who your dream client is, then all you're going to get is the kinds of referrals and clients you DON'T want.
Do yourself a huge favor and decide what kinds of customers you really want. Which of your clients make your life easy? What company specifically do you want to do business with?
The big lie about networking, infomercials and introductions is this: If you have a great infomercial that makes people want more information that is all you need to do.
That's a lie. If you have a great infomercial and you don't know what kinds of clients make you money and which once don't, a great infomercial won't help you.
Don't be like so many of my students who discover that, although they get a ton of referrals, they are people who drive them crazy and don't generate enough revenue to begin to cover the time they take out of the day.
