Networking isn't just about passing out business cards..
Let me tell you something about networking.
For the longest time, when I thought about networking, I pictured a room full of people with name tags on, everybody smiling, shaking hands, passing out business cards and asking each other, “So what do you do?”
And listen… sometimes that is exactly what it is.
But the more I’ve grown, the more I’ve built, and the more I’ve gotten serious about business, I’ve realized networking is so much bigger than that. And it CAN be so much MORE fun than that!!!
“Your network means EVERYTHING when you’re trying to build a business.”
— Passions For Profits
Networking is really about relationships.
It’s about getting in rooms with people you may have never crossed paths with otherwise.
It’s about having conversations.
It’s about people getting to know who you are, what you do, what you’re building, and what you bring to the table. Scratch that, don’t forget that you ARE the table. YOU dictate who gets to gets to be at it.
Because you can be talented as hell.
You can have a great business.
You can have a good idea.
You can know exactly what you’re doing.
But if nobody knows who you are, how are they supposed to think of you when an opportunity comes up? Or when it’s time to collab on a project together? Or when they have a chance to say your name in rooms you haven’t even walked in?
That part matters.
And No, You Don’t Have to Walk in the Place Selling Yourself
This is something I think people get wrong about networking.
You don’t have to walk into every event thinking:
Who can hire me?
Who can help me?
Who has money?
Who can connect me to somebody?
Because people can feel when you’re only talking to them because you want something. And that’s not networking. That’s using people. And there is a difference. Sometimes you just need to have a conversation.
Ask somebody what they do.
Find out what they’re working on.
Listen.
Tell them a little bit about what you’re doing.
Laugh.
Be normal. Hellloooo!!!!
You do not have to turn every conversation into a business pitch. Some relationships take time. The person you meet today may not do anything for you today. They may not do anything for you six months from now. And guess what? That is okay. But maybe a year from now somebody says, “Hey, I need somebody to come speak to our organization.” And that person says, “You know who you need to call?”
You. Yes YOU!!!
That’s networking. That’s when you know it’s working, too.
Sometimes You Just Need to Get in a Different Room
I believe this with my whole heart.
Sometimes you need to get in a different room. With different vibes. Different energies. Different people!
Not because there is anything wrong with the people you already know.
But different rooms have different conversations. And different conversations will make you think differently. You might meet somebody who is doing something you didn’t even know was possible. You might hear about an opportunity you didn’t know existed. You might learn something about business that completely changes the way you’ve been looking at yours. Or somebody might say one little thing that makes you go:
Wait a minute… I could do that.
That is why I tell people: go to the event.
Go to the luncheon.
Go to the conference.
Go to the mixer.
Go to the business event.
Go sit at a table where you don’t know everybody.
And yes, I know that can be uncomfortable. But hey, do it anyway. Half the time everybody else is uncomfortable too.
Social Media Is Great, But People Still Matter
We spend so much time worrying about social media.
What should I post? Should I make a Reel? What time should I post? Why didn’t this get enough likes? Do I need to be on TikTok?
LinkedIn?
Instagram?
Facebook?
Lord!!! HELP!! LOL
And social media absolutely does matter! But sometimes the opportunity you’ve been trying to find online is standing right in front of you at an event. One conversation can lead to another conversation. That conversation can lead to an introduction. That introduction can lead to a meeting. And that meeting can turn into an opportunity you never saw coming. That is why relationships will always matter in business.
People Want to Know Who They’re Doing Business With
Especially when you are in a business where you are part of the product. If you’re a speaker, coach, consultant, trainer, business owner, whatever… People are paying attention to you. How do you carry yourself? Can they trust you? Are you easy to talk to? Do you know what you’re talking about? Would they feel comfortable putting you in front of their employees? Their organization? Their clients? People want to know who they’re dealing with. And sometimes meeting you in person makes all the difference. They get to experience your personality. Your energy. Your passion. Your knowledge. And that five-minute conversation might do more for you than a hundred social media posts.
So Pleaseeee Follow Up
Now this is the part where some of us mess up. We go to the event. We talk to everybody. We exchange information. We say, “Oh my God, it was so nice meeting you!” And then… Nothing.
* cue the crickets *
Baby, you have to follow up. Send the email. Send the message. Connect on LinkedIn. Say, “Hey, it was really nice meeting you.” If you had a good conversation, keep the conversation going. Because meeting somebody one time is not really building a relationship. The relationship comes from what happens after that.
Networking Also Changes You
This is one of my favorite things about it.
When you get around people who are building businesses, starting organizations, speaking, creating, leading, taking chances and doing big things… Something starts happening in your own mind.
You start thinking bigger. You start seeing more possibilities. Sometimes we limit ourselves simply because we haven’t been exposed to enough. Then you meet somebody doing something you’ve been thinking about doing, and suddenly it doesn’t seem so crazy anymore. That is powerful. Sometimes you don’t need somebody to give you an opportunity. Sometimes you just needed to see that the opportunity was possible.
So Yeah… Go Network
But don’t go in there trying to work the room like you’re running for office. Go be yourself. Talk to people. Ask questions. Listen. Tell people what you’re building. Support people. Make connections. Follow up. And most importantly, keep getting yourself in rooms where growth is happening. Because you never know what one conversation can turn into. Your next client could be in that room. Your next speaking opportunity could be in that room. Your next collaboration could be in that room. Your next idea could come from that room.
And hell, sometimes the person who is going to help you get to the next level…
you just haven’t met them yet!
— Elev8 Your Mind
Presented by Laurie Capdevilla
Edited by Shantel Sanchez