Mistakes

I thought I would do a short video about what I call casting Internet in all the wrong places.

When people are networking, they are networking with people just like them. They are hoping to be introduced to people who play bigger, people at a higher level than them who make decisions. This is true in job hunting as well as in business. The result was that being that the people that you talk to aren't able to make a decision. In addition, often they don't know many people who are decision-makers outside of their own organization. So, what's the point?

If you been to a Chamber of Commerce meeting or to a business group, you run into this problem all the time. I'll even go so far as to say run into this with LinkedIn. With LinkedIn, I get tons of connection requests. Of the 17,000 or so people connected to me, I reached out to probably fewer than a thousand of them. They reached out to me because I have such a powerful brand – – The Big Game Hunter.

I understand that their version of networking is to gain access to my network, but they're not really contacting anyone there, and they aren't asking me to introduce them to anyone in my network, either. So, what's the point?

What's the point of speaking to people or reaching out to people who can't help you? What's the point of reaching out to people who won't help you. Because all they are doing is going, "Give me. Give me. Give me." And what's amazing is that you are back there saying and doing the same thing. "Give me. Give me. Give me I need. I need." Is not exactly a relationship that's going to work, is it?

After all, both of you are so busy grasping, "Please help me. I need your help, please. Help me!" It just doesn't work, does it? If it was working, you wouldn't be watching this video would you?

I want to encourage you to do something a little bit different. I would encourage you to help other people before you ask for help. This requires investment of time and trust on your part that if you give, you will receive. I know the business networking group, BNI, as this is the core philosophy of the group. I also know that in job search and other fields as well, it works, too.

I want to encourage you to think, not in terms of, "Give me. Give me. Give me." Instead, think in terms of giving first in order to receive.

Then, the next thing is to start operating at a higher level. Don't just reach out to people who are like you.

1. Think in terms of networking to a higher level where you can assist them. I know for myself. I met a lot of very successful people over the years and, at times, I've just offered a gift of advice 2 people who are struggling in some way at a certain stage of their life. They come back to me and allow me to be of service to them in their organization and thus have a written business many times over.

Again, if you are operating at your level. Often, you are not getting to people who write checks., You are getting to people who have to go hat in hand to present your case to someone. It reminds me of the situation where I was coaching someone recently. They are trying to build the business and they have to go to someone who has to be in contact with procurement. Invariably, procurement is going to say no. Why? Because that's the habit that they operate with.

"Fill out this form and make 47 different copies of it. Send it back to us and will get back to you in about a year."

What's the point of doing all of this? You have to get to real decision-makers and network your way to them.

Again, networking in the wrong places may feel good temporarily, but if you're not getting results, what's the point? Why are you engaged in that effort if the result is going to be just a bunch of people smiling, with drinks in their hand, all saying, "Do you know anyone? Okay." "Do you know anyone? Okay." "Do you know anyone? Okay." Doing that for an entire evening. UGH!