Networking Nuggets

Hi I'm Keith and welcome to Networking Nuggets. There's a certain type of person in networking rooms who always seems to do well and interestingly they're not always the loudest one, the most confident one or indeed even the best salesperson in the room. They are usually the connector. The person who naturally says oh you should meet so and so or oh you should have a coffee with so and so or oh so you're having that problem I know someone who can help you with that. Just over time that person that person who can always signpost people becomes incredibly valuable.

It can be one of the best assets that a network has to offer and who knows in time you might become one of those people too. Why does it work? It works because helping people build trust incredibly quickly, far quicker than if you're just pitching yourself constantly. And this comes down to one of the major energy shifts for successful networking because there's a huge difference in walking into a networking room thinking what can I get? Or who can I sell to today?

Compared to who can I help? You want to go in with that mindset when you go into a networking room whether it's a physical room and it's an online room don't go in there thinking who am I going to sell to today because chances are you won't but do go in there thinking who can I help if I hear something today how am going help them? Because Connectors stand out because they create value immediately that's what makes them memorable. Even if what they offer or their own services have no direct benefit to you you'll remember them because they connected you with the right person. And never underestimate how powerful a simple introduction can be.

Two people who meet because of you between them it creates goodwill, it creates trust and hopefully creates positive association but that's magnified for you. It creates you even more goodwill trust and positive association because both those people now feel they owe you something. So they're going to be looking for something they can do to pay back that thing they now think they owe you. Because here's the ironic part the people who focus most on helping others often end up receiving the most opportunities themselves. Because within the room it changes your reputation people start seeing you differently not as oh here comes teeth he's just trying to sell again but instead oh here's teeth I know he's someone useful to know.

Now it doesn't mean becoming some sort of speed networking matchmaker. It doesn't mean randomly introducing everyone to everyone because that's not what people want. Listen carefully to what people are asking for and then make thoughtful introductions. Because the best connectors in my experience pay attention. They remember what people need.

They remember parts of people's sixty seconds who do you help? And most importantly they remember what problems people solve and then using all of those they connect the dots and join the right people together. And like most things in networking this is a long term effect over time it compounds. Your network becomes stronger, your relationships deepen and your name starts appearing in conversations you're not even part of. So one of the smartest things you can do in Networking is stop trying to be the most interesting person in the room and start becoming the most helpful.

Because the Quiet Power Networking isn't just who you know it's who you connect. 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 Awkward to Connected available now on Amazon. Until next time keep connecting. Networking Nuggets is a Think of Something Publishing production.