Soar to Success March 2019

What Is Your Networking Goal? By Diane Helbig D o you have a goal when you network? Is it something other than gaining a client? Networking should be done ZLWK D YHU\ VSHFLĆF JRDO LQ PLQG $QG WKDW goal should NOT be to make a sale. When we are solely focused on selling, we telegraph that we are only interested in ourselves. That’s really a turn off! Imagine if everyone at a networking event was trying to sell their product or service to everyone else. That would be awful! And you probably wouldn’t want to go back to WKDW RUJDQL]DWLRQèV HYHQWV , LPDJLQH \RXU thoughts would be something like ‘wow, why would those people think I want what they’re selling? I don’t even know them! And they don’t knowme. I already have a company that provides me with that product or service.’ Exactly! And guess what? They’re thinking the same thing about you! If you don’t want people trying to sell you WKHLU VWXII UHPHPEHU WKDW WKH\ DUH OLNH \RX å they don’t want you doing it to them either. Networking is about relationship building. It’s about starting the process of getting to know someone; someone who might turn out to be a client, or a resource. It’s your opportunity to start the conversation.