Well said!
Connecting Businesses & Professionals | Director of Membership - Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce
What if Networking Doesn't Work for Me? I hear this question all the time. The reality is, networking doesn't work if you don't work on it. No one refers a prospect to your business if they've just met you and have never used your service. But people send referrals all the time. The gap? Relationships and certainty. I make referrals to people I know, like, and trust. But if I’ve just met someone, I won’t risk my reputation by referring them to people who trust me. So, networking won’t work for you if you go to an event and immediately start pitching. It also won’t work if you never attend events. But I can assure you that it will work if you take the time to cultivate relationships. Don't try networking if you only want to hard sell. But if you want to get to know people, work for tomorrow's meal, not just today’s, and enjoy the process of growing... networking might be right for you.