Networking is a waste of time unless you do this
99% of people don't do it.
Years ago, I was in business development for a mobile advertising company.
I'd show up at conferences, meet-ups, suit on, guns blazing, ready to pounce on any opportunity. If I so smelled someone who worked at an agency, I'll be hunting them down like a rabid dog.
My job was to get a foot in the door. Arrange for a presentation and sell our solutions.
Sell, sell, sell.
As if being in a suit is going to get prospects to buy.
No surprise that not many people from my mobile advertising salesman days remembered me or are still in contact today.
Fast forward to when I started hosting my own events, I started changing my approach.
For awhile, I ran this event called drink entrepreneurs in Penang. Not my cup of tea though.
When you host an event, your motivation changes.
You become more worried if your guests are finding value in the event.
Instead of chasing down opportunities and meetings, I started trying to provide value. "What brings you here today?" "Is there someone I can connect you with?".
Ironically, it was through this way I learnt that whoever provides the most value wins.
Every client I have worked with in the past 2 years has been someone I've tried to provide value to first.
Effective networking is about doing the opposite of what everyone else instinctively does.
Go to events and meet-ups to build relationships. But be the first person in the relationship to provide value.
That's exactly what you should do at Breaking Barriers with King Quah, next week – 23rd Sept. When you show up, seek to build deep relationships by giving first, before taking.
Tickets are selling. And the space will be filled with other like-minded entrepreneurs from brands like MOVE Fitness, Zemyth, WebMedic, Global Seacrest and more.
Here is what to expect from the event:
- A debrief of lessons learnt from Silicon Valley to Beijing, shared by King from his recent business exchange trip with SME Corp Malaysia to Beijing
- Entrepreneurship and sales lessons from 17+ years of building businesses
- Open conversation, part masterclass and part networking.
- A meet-up with another 80+ entrepreneurs and practitioners
Join King and the Daily CMO community as we discuss entrepreneurship, marketing, and breaking barriers on 23rd Sept.
Learn more and sign up for a spot at go.dailycmo.net/breaking
