Networking faux-pas to avoid

When you’re building a business, networking is one of your top priorities. But as anyone who’s been out and about can tell you, networking can be a mixed bag. There’s sometimes as many bad networking events as there are good ones. 

Here’s our list of networking faux-pas to avoid to make sure you’re getting everything you need out of growing your network. 

Card blasting 

We’ve all been there. You arrive in the room and within 10 minutes, your pockets are full of business cards. 

It can be tempting to dive right in there and give your card out to whoever will take it. But remember, quality over quantity. Throwing your card at anyone who’ll take it isn’t necessarily the best way to win business. These days, they’re more likely to end up gathering dust in someone’s pocket, or in the bin.

Many people now don’t even want physical business cards clogging up their wallets. Digital business cards are a smart alternative. Easier to store and a lot easier on the environment. Check out my digital business card and sign up for your own here. 

Asking too much, too soon

Referrals and recommendations are one of the most valuable things to come out of networking. But it’s always good to remember that the best referrals and recommendations come from good quality, established relationships.

If someone you’ve just met asked you for a referral or recommendation, would you do it? The answer is probably no. Not because you’re a terrible person. You just probably know enough about what that person does to give a good recommendation.

Some of the best things in life take time. 

No need to fake it 

To quote Oscar Wilde, ‘be yourself, everyone else is taken.’

There’s nothing more important than being yourself when it comes to networking. We’ve all heard the old phrase, ‘people buy people’. This is certainly true. But you want the people buying into you to buy into the real you. 

These relationships are usually the ones that lead to better, more long term collaborations. 

You dominate the conversation

Building relationships is a two way street. Listening is just as valuable as talking during networking. You never know what little nuggets of information can come out of these chats. 

You might be speaking to just the person you’ve been looking for. But you’ll never know if you’re the one hogging the limelight. 

We found some useful tips for active listening. Try them out at your next networking event. 

Numbers aren’t everything 

Remember that networking isn’t a numbers game. It’s not just about meeting as many people as fast as you can. It’s about how many people you can really connect and collaborate with. 

If you’re only looking for outreach, stick to email chains. Networking events are for connecting on a more personal level. We’re all about facilitating conversations between people who can truly benefit each other. 

According to this Forbes article, 85% of jobs are filled by networking. Meetings provide a range of opportunities for growth, collaboration and success. 

If you’d like to start growing your network, why not come along to one of our next meetings? We’d love to welcome you to In Business.