Networking by Numbers.....or how NOT to run a networking event
I really thought networking events had moved on. It turns out that I might have been wrong.
I met with a corporate lawyer this morning. Earlier this week he attended an event run by his local Chamber of Commerce. The event was billed as 'Networking by Numbers' and, as he outlined the format to me, I was horrified.
As I understand it, as well as the usual name badge, each delegate at the event was given a large number to wear. That number corresponded to their entry on the delegate list. This would allow delegates to hone in on the people they wanted to meet and ignore those they didn't.
I can't think of many worse ways to organise a networking event. I understand the reasoning behind it, helping attendees seek out their ideal contacts, but there are three major issues I can immediately see with this format:
1 - It invites preconceptions: One of the golden rules of networking is to be open to all connections, regardless of someone's industry or job title. The person you approach may not be immediately relevant to you or a prospective client, but you don't know to whom they are connected or the extent of their experience and expertise.
Focusing on an entry on a delegate list rather than finding out much more about other people in conversation leads to tunnel vision and missed opportunities.
2 - It encourages selling: Networking is not a sales process and when events become a series of pitches, most people are turned off. After all, if everyone comes to sell, who is going to buy? The right approach to networking for business development is to sell through the people you meet, not to them.
The approach adopted by this particular Chamber sends a subliminal message (or perhaps more overt than that). Check the people around you against the delegate list and then decide whether they are worth speaking to (for which many will read "selling to").
3 - It discourages conversation: I picture this room and see people wondering around staring at their delegate lists, looking for the people they want to meet and ignoring everyone else. Purely focused on why they want to meet that person (and rarely why that person would be interested in meeting them) they will ignore all other people in the vicinity as they hone in on their target.
As you might have gathered, I don't see many bright points about this approach to running a networking event. The errors above were compounded by giving one colour badge to lawyers and accountants and another colour to everyone else. The lawyer I met with felt stigmatised by having to wear a different colour.
You simply can't network effectively by pigeon-holing people before you've even had an initial conversation with them. It is far more effective to find people with whom you have interests in common and can develop a rapport than rushing around trying to chase job titles.
Yes, there is a role for studying a delegate list and knowing who you'd like to meet while at an event; but that should never be at the expense of random conversations with the people around you. I fear that this approach won't have encouraged positive networking.
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I agree Andy, it does sound
I agree Andy, it does sound awful ............ on the other hand the organiser could have a bit of fun if they have a PA system ......
Would number four, please make their way to tea and coffee area, where number one is waiting to meet you.
Or come in number six, your time is up, the office has called.
Hi Andy Totally agree. I have
Hi Andy
Totally agree. I have come across the most unusual connections by talking to people at various events, which in turn have led to various collaborations. So definitely yes to not pigeon-holing people before you've had a chance to get to know them because you never know what's around the corner.
Joanna
I can see why the format
I can see why the format horrified you Andy. However, it is fair to say that not all targeting is wrong. Targeting with the idea of going up to someone and selling to them is wrong.
Around February/March I joined an informal business network without a very clear idea of how I was going to use it. Two or three things happened that helped me to focus.
1) I did approach people I wanted to talk to - but I genuinely wanted to research how they saw a particular issue. My targets were lawyers and the questions I wanted to ask them were about how they communicated value to clients. This meant that I was interested in them and what they did. What I did was in background, but the conversation was focused on how they saw the world.
2) This did not stop me from networking in the way that your talks and articles have encouraged me to do. I talked to many people who were not obvious 'targets'. What happened there was that people started to offer me help in all kinds of ways: advice, feedback, contacts for resources, and as a result I now have a couple of associates helping me to bring a project to fruition. I'm a lot clearer about my business because people have helped me to focus. This has really accelerated progress.
3) The spirit of the group is about getting to know one another, not just using each other as stepping stones to business opportunities. As a result, I have met several people away from the event in one-to-one settings for the simple purpose of getting to know them and what they do better. This has increased my confidence in them, and I have found myself casually mentioning them to other people who might find what they do helpful.
4) An interesting by-product of this attitude is that after a few months I now seem to know a lot of people and have been asked to assist the group by introducing new members to the people they would like to meet. The effect of this is that when I do suggest an idea to people they seem to be very receptive. It's not as if I walk around behaving like a plaster saint or anything like that, but the 'know, like and trust' progression really seems to work.
If people are only interested in a quick sale, they would probably be better off cold calling than attending networking events. But if you are interested in building lasting relationships which lead to business opportunities, often where you least expect them - I can genuinely say it works, very well.
Thank you for your comments.
Thank you for your comments.
Malcolm, it sounds as though you are taking the perfect approach to your networking. If you have key people you want to meet, it makes perfect sense to be aware if they are at the same event as you and introduce yourself if you have the opportunity. My concern with the format outlined was where people ignore others and just focus on those they want to sell to. You are clearly not doing that.
It is good to hear that your networking style has led to an increase in your reputations. Ivan Misner says there are three stages to the networking process, Visibility - Credibility and then Profitability. You have clearly established your credibility and I hope that your networking is bringing the return you hope for.
Much of what I am doing now
Much of what I am doing now has been influenced by your presentation at TrainingZone Live earlier in the year. Thank you Andy.
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