Comments on: Speed networking – not all it is cracked up to be http://www.the-confidant.info/2009/speed-networking-not-all-it-is-cracked-up-to-be/ Working behind the scenes, helping people of power see themselves, situations, and others differently Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:30:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jon Harvey http://www.the-confidant.info/2009/speed-networking-not-all-it-is-cracked-up-to-be/#comment-14 Jon Harvey Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:01:17 +0000 http://www.gbw247.info/power/?p=108#comment-14 They ought to use Open Space and invite lots more people at a lower price, I reckon They ought to use Open Space and invite lots more people at a lower price, I reckon

]]> By: Alan Crawley http://www.the-confidant.info/2009/speed-networking-not-all-it-is-cracked-up-to-be/#comment-13 Alan Crawley Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:54:58 +0000 http://www.gbw247.info/power/?p=108#comment-13 Surely it depends on the time since the event? Isn't networking about more than getting business immediately? Surely it depends on the time since the event? Isn't networking about more than getting business immediately?

]]> By: Dave Bull http://www.the-confidant.info/2009/speed-networking-not-all-it-is-cracked-up-to-be/#comment-12 Dave Bull Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:35:00 +0000 http://www.gbw247.info/power/?p=108#comment-12 Like most people who think they can make a bit of money running "networking events", they've completely misunderstood what networking is and what such events are for.<br /><br />Actual networking, like actual sales, does not take place at such events (well, it does, but rarely and not by design!) Networking is what you do <i>after</i> the event: phone calls, emails, newsletters, referrals, news clippings and all that stuff that keeps the connections in your networking alive. At the event itself, you should <i>socialise</i>, meet as many people as possible and swap details with the ones with whom you think you could personally get along.<br /><br />To measure an event by the number of sales made is like measuring a primary school by how many pupils are offered Oxbridge places before they leave to go to secondary school.<br /><br />I find speed networking functions frustrating - too regimented for me, and too much blurb by the organisers about how likely you are to get new business from it. It seems designed to make sure you never meet half the attendees. Like most people who think they can make a bit of money running "networking events", they've completely misunderstood what networking is and what such events are for.

Actual networking, like actual sales, does not take place at such events (well, it does, but rarely and not by design!) Networking is what you do after the event: phone calls, emails, newsletters, referrals, news clippings and all that stuff that keeps the connections in your networking alive. At the event itself, you should socialise, meet as many people as possible and swap details with the ones with whom you think you could personally get along.

To measure an event by the number of sales made is like measuring a primary school by how many pupils are offered Oxbridge places before they leave to go to secondary school.

I find speed networking functions frustrating – too regimented for me, and too much blurb by the organisers about how likely you are to get new business from it. It seems designed to make sure you never meet half the attendees.

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