What Scares Corporate Types Away from Networking

Interesting article at BusinessWeek.com about how entrepreneurs and corporate workers network differently.  The biggest difference?  The latter group doesn’t do much at all.  Some just don’t understand why they should bother, while others are “afraid of being hit up by job-seekers and service providers.”

I’m fairly certain I could change people’s minds about the first reason, but I have to admit, I see their point about the second reason.  My husband has a high-level position at a Fortune 500 company, but I never mention it in networking situations and really try to downplay it as much as possible when asked.  It seems like EVERYONE has an idea or a product they’d love to sell into his company (heck, so do I!), but I don’t want him to be bombarded with sales pitches and requests for introductions.

In general, people hate to be in a position where they have to tell you “no” – no, we’re not hiring, no, I don’t know anyone at my company who is, no, we don’t need that service, no, I’m not in a position to introduce you to someone who does – and on and on and on.  It makes them uneasy to admit that they aren’t quite comfortable with you yet to refer you on, or that they may not have the connections inside their company to get you to the right place anyway.

So keep that in mind when you’re networking with corporate folks.  Don’t just jump into sales mode and focus on what they can do for you, before you even know what they do.  Approach them like you would a fellow entrepreneur, with the intent of building a relationship first, learning about them, and uncovering ways to exchange value FIRST.  You can't credibly offer your service as the answer to their problems, when you haven't spent enough time understanding their situation.

© 2007, Liz Lynch
Liz Lynch is founder and executive director of the Center for Networking Excellence which develops products and programs to help professionals learn how to build profitable relationships. If you're ready to start networking smarter, get your free networking tips now at www.NetworkingExcellence.com .