The Nail-biting Nightmare of Networking

Remember your first day of school, wobbly knees causing an awkward stumble into the playground and sweaty palms desperately clasping onto a cartoon-themed lunchbox. Eyes scanning what seems like a vast abyss, seeking the least scary group to approach. Thankfully, children are innocent and resilient, a perfect combination when it comes to entering the unknown.

Fast forward twenty-odd years and envisage a scarily similar situation; replacing those wide-eyed children with half-exhausted professionals and… congratulations, you are at your first networking event!

With networking becoming an ever more essential part of the entrepreneurial toolkit, it is something that the modern professional can no longer avoid. Whilst the thought of awkwardly lurking behind a group of suit-ridden strangers will consistently strike unease in all of us, it is impossible to deny the benefit which networking brings – both professionally and personally.

There is no one that will dread the initial entry into an event more than myself; desperately glancing around every corner until the irreplaceable wave of relief rolls in when you spot a familiar face in the crowd. However, with this familiarity comes the most commonly made networking mistake – staying within your comfort zone.

It would be lovely to use networking forums as an excuse for a couple of hours out of the office, a quick coffee and catch-up with our trusted colleagues and cohorts. It would be lovely, but it certainly wouldn’t be lucrative. As business leaders keep telling us, stepping outside of your comfort circle allows for greater success and growth. In this case, entering a group of unfamiliar faces and ‘laying your cards on the table’ – you never know, you might draw a Royal Flush!

The common misconception is that you attend one networking event and come back with multiple prospects and extra coin in the business bank. As the proverb states ‘good things come to those who wait.’ The beautiful thing about networking is that the rewards will come when you least expect; the once unfamiliar face has now become a valuable connection.

It pays to remember that ‘people buy from people,’ so what better way to build your business than utilizing the gift of networking? Never underestimate the power of a free coffee and bacon bap!