The Reasons why you should network LESS!

Are you networking like crazy with no results?

Despite what you may have heard, networking is not a magic elixir, especially if you do it wrong. If your networking isn’t working for you, here are some reasons why and some simple suggestions on what you can do about it. (Optimize your networking)

1. Hustling too hard – this is the biggest mistake! Business people attend conferences and have business cards shoved in their face even before a simple greeting. You never want to be that guy. The moment a serious business person gets a whiff of desperation, you are almost certain to lose their attention. This is the moment that your networking looks more like a sales pitch. Whenever you begin to feel desperate, you should take a step back a just engage in casual conversation. You should only give out your business card once you reach a mutual consensus of interest with the other party.

2. Talking to the wrong people – networking is all about building relationships, but if you’re building relationships with the wrong people, you’re wasting your time. You should always be thinking Quality not Quantity. Whenever you are attending a networking event, conference or just having a one-on-one business conversation, you should assure that the attendees are made up of ideal clients or potential connections that can add value to your brand. Identify your goals for networking, whether its new partnerships or clients and proceed to be strategic about your choice of networking atmospheres by asking questions about what type of business people will be in the audience.

3. It's getting in the way of your real work—sometimes it’s best to keep your attention focused on your real work. Some people like to gather often in the name of networking. At least they call it networking, but it’s not. Not unless it enhances your work in some way. Networking should have some purpose such as collaborating on a project, exchanging ideas for a new partnership or finding new ways to effectively refer customers to each other. Building a network of connections is good, however too much socializing with connections is a sneaky form of procrastination.

If you are still not sure if what you’re doing is productive networking? Treat yourself like a paid employee and ask yourself. Would you pay someone to do what you’re doing? Is there a potential payoff linked to an important outcome? If not, don’t waste your time. Truly optimize your networking strategies by utilizing our connection programs at National CEO Network.