Starting Again ...

So I decided to take Tessa's advice and I attended one of the networking groups that she recommended to me.  The group in question was NRG. 

So on my first morning there I went there with my laptop case full of business cards and feeling slightly anticipative about the event.  The horrors of my previous experiences still looming large in my mind.  This group though does seem to be a little different.  I got a welcoming phone call from the regional leader a very cheery guy called Trevor, who was making sure that everything was in order for the meeting on the following Thursday.  What struck me as strange though about the conversation was that this guys values and beliefs about networking were very aligned with mine. Here are a few of the things that I believe networkers ought not to do when attending events:

• Selling to other delegates - This is a big no-no in my book because it is a big turn-off.  People at these events are very savvy and know when they are being sold to ... However that didn't stop me on my first morning, which I shall tell you about later  - oh the shame :0(
• Finding the right event - this event was primarily geared towards professional people, no disrespect to the smaller trades-people but the event is not designed for the local florist or mechanic like the previous events I attended
• Look for synergies - my problem with my previous experiences was that there were very few people who I could JV (joint venture) with,  therefore I was missing out on half of what networking is supposed to be about - well so I'm told.  My goal should be to find people who I would be able to team up with to create meaningful opportunities for both parties.
• Not for making friends - making friends might be a very nice side benefit of attending an event as I love people, but in actuality when I attend a networking event I have my business hat on and therefore am more interested in how can I make the event pay for me and for the people who I meet today.

So my conversation with Trevor turned out to be a really good one as he was starting to say some of the things that Tessa had said previously.  I was starting to feel more enthused.

In the next post I will talk about my first attendance at the NRG event and for the first time promoting myself as a leadership coach - scary monsters!!!!!