Most people don’t like going to networking events (even though the drinks are free). Some because they feel uncomfortable making the small-talk, some because they struggle with an elevator pitch, and some because they are there for business development purposes, and feel pressure to make the sale. After all, spending a night on your Netflix sounds more fun than spending a night on your Network.
There are some people who love going to networking events, like me. But I didn’t used to be like that. I used to dread the idea, too. And once I started to like networking, I probably made all the mistakes one can possibly make: not knowing what to say, pushing for a sale or introduction on the spot, being ineffective with my follow-ups, and so on. On the plus side, it helped me build a wide and deep insight into how to network. Not only the tactics, but also the underlying reasons why and how it works.
It took me about 15 years to get to where I am now with networking, and then I still have things to learn. Most of my knowledge is based on try-and-error, some of it is some wise advice what managers I worked with gave me, and some if it came from observing others or reading books on the topic, and some just thinking through the best tactics to utilise networks well.
I wish I knew a thing or two about networking back in the past. It would have saved a lot of effort, embarrassment and energy, and would have generated more opportunities. But the ride wasn’t that bad after all, and I even made a number of close friends whom I originally met on a networking event. Even though understanding networking earlier, would have helped massively.
This blog is exactly made for that. Sharing the knowledge and insights, next to the more in-depth live events and courses in networking. It has been a pleasure helping and serving others to make networking more rewarding, effective and a fun thing to do, and I hope you enjoy these blogs too. If anything is unclear or you have a request for a specific topic, feel free to get in touch via the contactform and I will happily try to answer any questions you may have.
So welcome to The Networking Experience. I will share my insights with you here on this blog. And it is called ‘The Networking Experience’ for a reason: because yes, I encourage you to step in and experience everything I write, for yourself. Learning comes from partly understanding, and partly doing, to build an experience that brings you the knowledge and tactics, fast tracked.