I have a sneaking suspicion that endless networking (a daily diet of endless breakfasts, lunches, seminars, Ecademy, Twitter and LinkedIn) may not be the path to riches.
Yes, it will keep you busy but is it the smartest way to get the results you want? You end up managing loads of relatively shallow relationships. These will be mostly based on furious exchanges of business cards and listening to a diet of elevator pitches from people pretending to be interested in you.
So, here’s the challenge.
Turn off your message alerts. Do not go near your networking tools and devices for 14 days. It is a bit like a holiday (it is when you do not maintain and feed your perversely obsessive addiction to emails).
Next, select five notable business friends or peers who you 100% trust and respect.
Set up a meeting between the six of you. You sit down and spend 30 minutes working on each business looking at how the group can promote, help and connect the person in the hot seat. Repeat the exercise seven days later.
My suspicion is that a short, intense session of working on each other’s businesses might get you just as far, if not further, than having to deal with all the hype and smoke and mirrors that so often surrounds the networking fests.
I am not having a pop at all networking. Just because something is called ‘networking’ does not automatically mean that it is a good and a worthwhile thing to do.
Sometimes the activity is unfocused (wide and shallow) and gains little traction. Sometimes you need the concentration (narrow and deep) and support you get from a small and tightly-knit group.
Try it.
30 comments:
Robert, as usual you have created a thought-provoking post.
I will try your experiment - but with one important modification. Instead of switching off completely from networking, I will cut it back dramatically (14 days away from twitter would probably alienate all my followers!).
Ouch!
That'll hurt some people.
Do you really want people to do this? Should it not carry a Government Health Warning!
Madge
PS interesting comment from Ash. I am amazed that he thinks that "14 days away from twitter would probably alienate all my followers!"
Why would they feel alientated? Sorry, don't get it.
Madge
Interesting advice Robert! I manage my networking to fit my business need, so I do spend time on Twitter, facebook and my own daily blogging but these are connected to my goal of growing the 'audience' for my services through these online 'tools'. I can agree with cutting off Twitter et all but my daily blogging gives me much more in terms of growing my 'profile' as an expert and enhancing my marketing efforts. Your idea is sound and encouraging but for myself, as one who networks from my home office, I do not find the need to attend breakfast's and 'clubs' for locating my customers. You mentioned a very astute observation wen you said "You end up managing loads of relatively shallow relationships". That has been my experience of the networking clubs/associations. It is refreshing to hear someone like yourself identify what I have been thinking for a number of years! Onward and upward!
And how long would it last with no-one listening and no-one to talk to. You seem to have no idea about how things work for people under the age of, what are you? 55?
While it might be fine for you with your old-fashioned business based on old-fashioned idea you seem to forget that Dickens died some time ago and the REAL WORLD consists of epoeple who have i-phones. Blackberries are so sad.
Go back to your comfy little office in your comfy little village and ignore what real people do. WE communicate. WE are a community that talks. To each other. Your FaceBook account is a disgrace.
Carefully judged controversy, Robert. You've certainly got MY attention. And now I have official permission to ignore all that shallow drivel and too-much-information from people running out of ideas on what to write about every day. I'm off to take advantage of the expertise of my respected business friends. Maybe they'll cherish my insights too.
Great advice - as an early adopter I have thrown away my email enabled phone after 7 years and now have a mobile that just takes calls.
It forces to me think and then talk to people and not hide behind a mountain of emails.
I think networking is the same - you can join a group for a period - but then you need to break off and go and do something else.
This way, you'll see what benefit you have gained - if any - and if you want to go back to it.
It is all about the choices you make.
Recent research suggests that networkers are more profitable. Actually it is the other way round. The more profitable people are great networkers.
Being a great networker doesn't make you into a more profitable business person.
An example of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. However you do make the point clearly. And yes we all need to audit our so-called networking time. How much of it seriously adds value to our businesses or lives?
Life is too short. Time is too precious to waste it on shallow empty relationships.
R
Very much food for thought. Now to drum up a group and conduct the experiment. My own view on Networking is:
I start by working out which groups of people will be likely to give me business or to refer me to people who may give me business.
Then, I look at my ability to offer these people something in return.
If there is a match, and I can attend without too much family disruption, then I go along.
Twitter and LinkedIn complement my face-to-face Networking.
In my business, Networking can provide 30% - 40% of my business, so other activities are vital and must comprise around 70% of my selling time.
Twitter has provided me with 2 excellent opportunities in the 12 or so weeks I have been a member - for an investment of less than 20 minutes per day. Excellent value for my time.
Robert, I agree wholeheartedly about the compulsive use of social networking tools and indiscriminate use of networking in general. We appear to put a lot of emphasis on contact but where is the communication? I am an advocate of Linked In used intelligently but the constant stream of messages from other sites just contributes to the growing issue of information overload.
here's an irony - I was tweeted this brilliant satire video of Hitel and Twitter - glorious...:
" I was crying with laughter! LOL This is a good one for @Robert_Craven RT @janehamerton: Watch No Twitter for Hitler http://bit.ly/FQUBV "
Hitler?
Talking of irony, Mr Craven - how did I find out about this? For or against Twitter, you can not deny that you use it. Secret addict or confirmed user?
JM
Have noted Mr C's use of twitter. Mainly uses it for transmission purposes - lots of juicy tidbits and linking back to the blog. All very sensible and not at all compulsive.
What he is really talking about is what he refers to as a "Mastermind Alliance". Have been involved in such a thing and it does work.
Madge
Deeper must always be better.
Maybe you need to do the shallow bit first to figure out who you really want to to be developing relationships with.
So it really is a combination of the two strategies: farming and hunting.
Jerry
While not a perfect practitioner by Mr C's standards, I have focused all my energy on the deep and narrow rather than the shallow relationships.
It seems to work.
Conversations have been more fruitful and less lightweight. While no specific business has been agreed my feeling is that I have got more out of slowing down rather than running around like a fool.
Thanks
Controversial and thought provoking. You can certainly spend a lot of time networking and without a strategy, end up just being busy.
Concentrating on working with a smaller number of trusted contacts where you can really help each other is probably sound advice. The question is, where do you first meet those people? Probably at a networking meeting.
I look forward to not receiving your feed for the next 14 days :-)
Having just returned from a dreary breakfast networking event, I think Robert may have a point! It was one of those where it felt like a speed dating exercise ….. who could give out the most business cards. With the inevitable adding to another pointless mailing list. Proper networking is like business: it is about building up relationships ….. and lets not forget, getting business. This touchy feely stuff ain’t for me.
Mr C has actually gone silent on Twitter! Heard and seen nothing for a week or so now. Still alive?
Hi Robert
As a Traditional Marketing Professional I couldn't agree more!
There was a post on LinkedIn recently;
Social Media is....................
Some of the responses were plainly bizarre, but very much in line with what you have said.. Twitter Junkies obsessed with its supposed value.
My reply was "Irritating but part of any Marketing Portfolio of services?"
I have already started to 'limit' who follows me, and I follow, simply because the vast majority are only interested in 'Fast Bucks' solutions...
I am interested in not only interesting articles and solutions, but Most Importantly = Clients! They won't come from Twitter! or any other Social Media site.
However Social Media is superb for raising awareness.
Keep up the good work Robert.
Jerry Markham
As mentioned elsewhere,why do people insist on "plugging" themselves and turning off anyone who might be vaguely intelligent. Be less self-serving.
The situation varies for person to person. We all differ as do our circumstances and preferences. Sometimes we do need the networking to get things rolling. We don't already have a network in place
The whole Twitter/Networking thing is an entire irrelevancy. That's why serious businesses stick to the tried an tested approaches to growing their business. Anyone with half a business degree knows that you need a sound business plan and marketing strategy to get the business going. You don't see banks or or supermarkets messing with this stuff.
Yvonne
Actually Robert's message every time is "take control" - just seen it!
Jeremy
As mentioned elsewhere,why do people insist on "plugging" themselves and turning off anyone who might be vaguely intelligent. Be less self-serving.
An example of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. However you do make the point clearly. And yes we all need to audit our so-called networking time. How much of it seriously adds value to our businesses or lives?
Life is too short. Time is too precious to waste it on shallow empty relationships.
R
Controversial and thought provoking. You can certainly spend a lot of time networking and without a strategy, end up just being busy.
Concentrating on working with a smaller number of trusted contacts where you can really help each other is probably sound advice. The question is, where do you first meet those people? Probably at a networking meeting.
Excellent article! RT @Telegraph Why every company needs a 'Twitter Tsar' bit.ly/epVUQD
Are gadgets and technology enhancing your life? Really? http://bit.ly/k0D5jF
Post a Comment