I often get asked by potential visitors how much I make as a result of my membership in networking groups, and my answer surprises them: I don’t keep score.
Ask a woman about her children, and she can tell you the day, date, time, birth weight, the name of the midwife, and a thousand other facts. Ask a man, and he will be aware of small humans living in his house. This doesn’t mean the man is a lesser parent; it means he is driven by different motivations. The same is true for my networking.
I have shifted my focus from saying what I get to explaining what I give.
- I give Time and Effort: I am happy to give my time to help organise this group and provide a website and management system.
- I give Educational Contributions: I am happy to write these educational slots, hoping to stimulate you to think and develop your own networking philosophy.
- I go to Recon Meetings: I am happy to attend recon meetings to learn about your business so I can refer you more easily.
- I give Guidance and Advice: I am happy to offer guidance about websites and marketing to help others avoid costly mistakes, even if they don’t use my services.
Some don't understand the answer and ask the same question What do you get from networking?
- Community: I get access to a great group of people who all want to help each other grow their businesses in a mutually beneficial way.
- Support: I get a sense of community within a business context, showing me I am not alone when dealing with the tax man, staff, customers, and the world.
- Collaboration: I get the feeling that we are all small businesses rowing together to reach calmer waters.
- Satisfaction: I get satisfaction from being part of something good in a world that seems to be getting more selfish.
Networking is about farming, not hunting.
So, if someone asks what you make from your networking, what will you tell them?
Photo by Mathieu Turle on Unsplash