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Networking 2022: Trends and Tips

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If you weren’t able to attend this BSC Wisdom webinar, you missed a great discussion and work session led by Jan Triplett, Austin’s Mother of Networking and author of The Networker’s Guide to Success and co-author Thinking Big, Staying Small with input and examples from attendees.

Here’s what this webinar/work session was all about:
• What’s the difference between Networking, Mentoring, and Prospecting?
• Your three types of networks and how to improve them in 2022
• Making better quality choices of how, where and with whom to network
• New networking roles and responsibilities
• When and how to say “No” plus “red flag” warnings
• Why your networking efforts don’t pay off

Here’s a link to the recording and transcript. https://bit.ly/WisdomWebinar-Networking-1-20-22

Networking is about Saying “No”

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(Excerpt from The Networker’s Guide to Success by Jan Triplett)

Sometimes, you just need to say "NO"!

Sometimes, you just need to say “NO”!

Not all groups are right for you to join and give your valuable time and effort. Not all people are key to your networking success. It’s not about the numbers. It’s about knowing when to say “Yes” and more importantly, when to say “No”.

There have been times when I just said no. That’s hard for those of us who use networking to do, but it’s vital.

At some point your time, money, and energy run out. Before it gets to be a crisis, back off for a while. Reconsider how you are networking. Remember, you are responsible for helping your current networks as well as helping yourself. In networking, you have to be constantly on the lookout for new additions and people to add to your current networks, or even new networks to join. In addition, other people will invite you to join their network. You are going to have to say “no” or “not right now” to some of them. It’s okay.

In Austin, there are between ten and twenty new networks, Meetup groups, and new formal and informal associations that are formed each month. An equal number fold or change. There may be even more opportunities where you live. You have to decide what’s right for you and what’s not.

Take a minute to consider how much time, effort and money you’re willing to invest and at what rate of return. Make sure you also consider what you can invest. Say “yes” to the people, organizations, meetings, lunches, etc. with the highest value to meet your goals; say “no” to the rest. You can always change your mind if your situation or theirs changes.

For ways to look at organizations before you take the plunge, read my post about what’s wrong with many networking meetings. You also might want to check out  Jerry Ussem’s post that discusses various experts opinions on why it pays to be a jerk sometimes. He quotes research from the University of Amsterdam that found that semi-obnoxious behavior not only can make a person seem more powerful, but can make them more powerful. Your goal should be to be ok with being perceived as obnoxious by some if you say “no”.

Network-guide-to-success-coverv42More ideas on networking success are in The Networker’s Guide to Success ebook available from the Business Success Center and online at Apple, Amazon and Nook.

 

Networking Rules for Friends

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4 More Networking Rules: Successful Networking with Friends

There are standard Networking Rules that can be applied most of the time. But friends aren’t just anybody and they deserve some special attention. Consider using these rules with the most valuable people in your formal and informal networks and when doing personal networking with friends, family, and others who are close to you. [Read more…]

8 Ways to Avoid Networking Burnout

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(from The Networker’s Guide to Success*)

Too many options can lead to networking burnout

Too many options can lead to networking burnout

What’s Networking Burnout? It’s like other kinds of emotional burnout.  You get it from doing too much and not “giving it a rest”. It can happen at any time but people are extremely vulnerable at the end of the year or end of a quarter when they begin to focus on what’s not done.

I was recently at a meeting and someone I respect said if you’re a good networker, you’re always networking. She may be right but it can be draining so don’t let it happen to you. [Read more…]

Business Owners Hierarchy of Needs

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What motivates business owners? It depends on where they are in the owners' hierarchy of needs.

What motivates business owners? It depends on where they are in the owners’ hierarchy of needs.

You’ve probably heard of Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”. He identified how a person’s needs dominate motivation and behavior and that there is a specific order in which they should be met.

His theory suggested that the basic needs (physiological, safety, love and belonging) had to be met before the individual will desire and pursue higher levels of needs (esteem, self actualization, and self transcendence).

If a need is not met, the individual will feel tense and anxious. Although people may have several needs at any time, one will dominate their actions. [Read more…]

What’s wrong with networking meetings?

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Get your meeting in better order for everyone. Photo by mrbill from flickr.com.

Get your meeting in better order for everyone. Photo by mrbill from flickr.com.

What’s wrong with networking meetings? It’s the same thing that’s wrong with most business meetings. Organizers and hosts take things for granted.

These meetings leave the impression that…

  1. Everyone who should know everyone already does.
  2. It’s obvious how our meeting works and if you don’t get it, too bad.
  3. People with different tastes just shouldn’t eat with us.
  4. If you can’t find us, not our problem.
  5. We’re glad you came, but we don’t really care if you had a good time or come back.

The prevalence of these really makes me hate to go to meetings. The worst offenders are the ones that call themselves “networking” meetings. I wrote A Networker’s Guide to Success. I know what networking can and should be. [Read more…]

3 Networking Skills Every Introvert Has

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Rodin's "The Thinker" could have been named "The Introvert". Photo by James Whitesmith.

Rodin’s “The Thinker” could have been named “The Introvert”. Photo by James Whitesmith.

Networking skills are not the exclusive property of extroverts. Introverts have them, too.

Not the belle or beau of the ball? Don’t do well in groups? Are you kind of shy or just hate playing the networking game? You can still be a great networker. The best part is, you don’t have to and shouldn’t change you.

Networking Rules

You do have to play by the rules. Networking is a balancing act; give and take. It’s not just about sales or prospecting. Although these can happen.  You can also use it for finding friends, jobs, fun places to go or avoid, and a million other things. Think about it as a combination of a “net” which gathers things in and keeps things out and a lot of hard “work”. Believe me, it doesn’t come easy to extroverts either although it may seem that way. [Read more…]

7 Golden Sales Rules for Small Business

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GoLocal, a great rewards program, based in Austin, Texas, to encourage people to buy locally.

GoLocal, a great rewards program, based in Austin, Texas, to encourage people to buy locally.

I have just finished a five-hour sales training session for Go Local an Austin, Texas company that is licensing its program nationwide to encourage people to support their locally owned businesses and buy locally. This is a great marketing tool for businesses and reward system for new and existing customers. Even though some of the licensees had sales experience, their questions and concerns prompted me to put together this list of sales concepts that I consider critical to success.

It starts with agreeing with the first “golden rule”. [Read more…]