Networking Nuggets

Hi I'm Keith and welcome to Networking Nuggets. Have you ever listened to someone networking and thought I have absolutely no idea what that person actually does? And usually that's not because they're bad at what they do It's because they're trying so hard to sound impressive that clarity completely disappears. We've all heard introductions like I deliver integrated transformational strategic solutions which sounds important but tells absolutely nobody anything useful. One of the biggest networking mistakes people make is confusing sounding professional with sounding understandable.

Because the truth is that clarity builds trust much faster than jargon does because people relax around communication they understand. And honestly I think people do this because networking makes them feel vulnerable so they hide behind their polished wording, their complicated language, their three letter acronyms, their rehearsed phrases. But the more corporate and over rehearsed people sound the less human they often feel. Because the thing is networking isn't a TED talk it's a conversation. The people who tend to build the strongest relationships are usually the people who can explain themselves simply.

Not because they themselves are simplistic but because they're clear. Instead of I optimize operational efficiencies you could say I help overwhelmed business owners save time. Do you see what I mean? One is technically impressive but the other one's understandable. The other one has people going oh yeah that's me and that's what you want.

Because networking is heavily driven by memory and memory loves clarity. Memory loves being specific. Memory loves relatable language. I honestly think one of the most underrated networking skills is being able to make complicated things sound simple. So next time you introduce yourself don't focus on sounding impressive focus on sounding understandable because the goal of networking isn't to leave people intimidated it's to leave people remembering you.

If you found this week's episode useful make sure you follow or subscribe and if you want more check out Networking Nuggets on LinkedIn it's my weekly newsletter where I share deeper insights every Wednesday but also do check out my new book From Auckland to Connected available now on Amazon. Until next time keep connecting. Networking Nuggets is a Think of Something Publishing production.