Networking

For a number of reasons, I decided to visit a networking event just outside Nottingham recently. Having overcome my fear of walking into a room of people I didn’t know some time ago, I was really looking forward to going. Apart from the hope that I might meet the one person who could unlock all my businesses potential (unlikely!), I was looking forward to expanding my contacts, and to learning about what was going on (in business terms anyway) in the area.

I have a theory about networking. It’s a bit like big game hunting in Africa. Some people run around like headless chickens, shooting anything that moves, or things that just look like they might be a target. Some people wander around aimlessly, hoping that they will eventually find what they are looking for. Some hunters just stay where they are, waiting for their prey to pass by.

I have chosen a slightly more scientific approach: I have thought long and hard about what kind of animals I am after, worked out where they go to drink, and have camped there. I know that sooner or later they will come to me.

It does mean that some meetings I attend are fruitless, but at least I know I will meet some interesting people while I’m waiting!

Networking can be a hard slog, and there is never a guarantee that you will meet the person you want to meet. But by carefully targeting the groups you visit, you can greatly improve the chances of meeting the right person.