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Well kids…buckle up because this podcast is a wild ride from start to finish. Our friends Sejal and Gary from our networking group join us to discuss the fine art of networking and we play a fun game to test the salesmanship of everyone on the show. This thing goes off the rails from the get go, but we certainly have a blast and hope you enjoy the ride as well.
Let’s get into it
Networking isn’t easy, and Gary starts us off by painting a picture of what a good networker looks like. Sejal offers some validation on Gary’s statement but adds some of her unique perspective as well. The ability to be a genuine and reputable resource for your clients seems to be the common characteristic, but the group goes further to discuss how to become an effective marketer. Sejal hits on an important point – which is good old fashioned hard work. It’s about hustling – strategically – until you are able to build solid relationships.
Relationships
There is nothing more important in the world of networking than to develop good relationships and you need to know where to start. We discuss the right questions to ask when joining a networking group, the right things to know, and what expectations you should have when you become part of a networking group. The crew plugs their group a bit, C4BX (www.c4bx.com) and talks about why they started it. Having each been parts of failed groups the team created a group with the objective of fixing the problems they had seen from previous iterations. It’s pretty evident from these folks that C4BX is likely a lot of fun, but it also seems that they know the right way to generate real relationships that result in real business.
Game Time
Laura joins us again to announce this week’s game – to mixed reviews by the players…well, mostly Meredith who is not a big fan of the concept! As usual it’s a penalty-based contest and we jump right in. Luckily on the first round no penalties are issued…but round two is a different story…
Etiquette…
After a rocky introduction to the etiquette discussion, the group talks about the right way to conduct yourself in networking to be successful. While we have some different opinions on what’s acceptable, we unanimously agree that mutual respect is the foundation of successful networking. The culture of a networking group is very important which is why it’s so important to find one in which you “fit”, both professionally and personally.
Round 2 – through the end
As promised, round two begins…and penalties are issued. Leon gets to read his last YouTube search (cringe) and Sejal takes a ridiculous selfie and posts it on social with no explanation (lol). The other two lucked out with no penalties. We try to wrap up this mess of a podcast with the most important part of this whole discussion – how do you actually close business as a result of networking. It’s one thing to make relationships, it’s another to win business as a result of those relationships. Once again we have varied opinions on the subject, but we get some really solid insight from 3 people who have done this for a long time.
