Social Media Still a Poor Substitute for True Business Networking

There’s the Facebook/Twitter/Linkedin world and there is face-to-face world. Sometimes it’s difficult to recall that some of the most important business relationships are made in person – on the golf course, after a seminar, over a meal or through an in-person introduction.

As Patty Azzarrello points out in her article, Facebook is Fine, But Here are 10 ways to Network in the Real World , social media still can’t compare to the real thing. Like her, I used to wonder: how do people good at networking get that way?  Did someone teach them, or were they born with the talent to glad-hand and make it look as if they cared more about you than they did about getting your business?

My first exposure to networking came long ago, when groups with names like “wealth-builders” and “success networks” made the networking groups I tried out seem MLM just by nature of their monikers.  Not a social butterfly to begin with, I had to learn some rules of the game: (1) Grab some food first or it may be gone before you know it. (2) Get a drink of some kind to occupy one of your hands so that you don’t look like a dork (3) It’s okay to approach three people conversing casually, but when two looked steeped in discussion, wait for a break before you walk up (5) Take LOTS of business cards but don’t shove them at people and, (6) Treat someone else’s business card with respect. Never set it down on the buffet table to fill your plate. You could forget it there and that person just might be behind you in line.

Because it all seemed so contrived, I didn’t stay long in those groups.  Elevator speeches, speed networking, conversations with people whose businesses held no interest for me – it all just seemed either out of my comfort zone or a waste of my time and money.  But even though those groups may not have represented the model of networking suited to my personality, I realize now I should have given them more of a chance. I should have frequented the meetings more, extended myself to the members more and taken the time to get to know people. Why? Because I realize now that networking is more about making friends first. Doing business together someday is actually the icing on the cake.

So I finally get it.  I realize now that all I need to do is relax, be myself and make friends and if I earn the respect of people in my group, the rest will follow in “build it and they will come” fashion.  Why did I ever think this was all so difficult?  I guess it was all in my head.

Source By: Forbes