Common Networking Mistake #1

There are several simple mistakes that every person looking to build a network should avoid making. The first of which is talking about yourself too much. When you meet someone new at a networking event, make sure that you don’t fall into the habit to talking about yourself the whole time. The reason this is important is because you are trying to inspire them to want to help you, which is most easily accomplished by demonstrating your interest in helping them.

Showing your genuine interest in them is the most powerful way to convey your interest in them and their business, which is nearly impossible to do if you are talking about yourself the whole time. Demonstrating a genuine interest in who their ideal referral is, and who great strategic partners for their business are, is the most straightforward way to build a relationship, which should be your only goal. I define a strategic partner as someone that works with the same kind of clients that they do where there is no business competition, which means they would add value to each other’s clients. This will ensure that if they can help you, they will actually want to! No amount of talking about yourself can inspire someone to want to help you, therefore even if this person could help you, they won’t want to, which means you have wasted your time by attending the event at all. Therefore concentrate on them, ask questions that will help you understand their business in more depth, and think about people you can introduce them to, that is the easiest way to help them, and at the same time avoid common networking mistake #1.