Have you ever scheduled in person meetings with different referral partners or fellow networkers back to back? If you haven't, you should consider it.
This practice saves you time, and it does something else which is better. It allows you to connect two people in your network that might not know each other.
Recently I met Sybil, with Pros Make Ready and founder of Mix and Mingle Business Networking, for coffee. I was about ten minutes early and sat at a nearby table while I waited for Sybil's meeting with two other people to finish.
About 5 minutes before our meeting was to start, Sybil invited me over to her table, introduced me to the people she was having coffee with, and gave me a compliment. I sat down and the four of us had a few minutes of great conversation. It turns out the two people she was meeting with were going to another networking meeting the next day where a few people I knew would be.
After a few minutes Sybil extended her hand to one of the gentlemen at the table, thanked him again for a great meeting and the two gentlemen stood up to leave.
A seamless transition had just taken place. Here is what Sybil accomplished, effortlessly:
Sybil acknowledged me, and at just the right time, invited me over.
I got all the good feels, and I was assured that my meeting with Sybil would not be delayed.
Sybil gave me a compliment in front of two people I've never met, setting the stage for me to look my best if I decided to reach out to the two gentlemen at the table or if I see them again at another networking event.
The two gentlemen are now introduced to me, and their network is expanded.
Sybil didn't have to be rude or awkward, but was able to use this activity (inviting me over to her table) as a signal that her meeting with the gentlemen now needed to end.
It's the little things that make all the difference. Remember in Tour 15 I wrote about the Joe Rogan Effect, activities which tell others that you have thought of everything. Sybil put the Joe Rogan effect into full force.
She knew one meeting needed to end and another needed to start. She could have had the two parties pass each other with no acknowledgement, but she choose to a different path. She choose to be generous.
Go network my friend, and remember:
Stack your meetings, and introduce people to each other as they come and go. Think of everything for others, connect people. True networking inspires it.
The Networker's Tour Guide, Faithann Basore, and her husband Dave have owned Window Cleaning Plus (WCP) for 10 years. Growing WCP through networking has given Faithann the desire to guide other small business owners through the networking terrain so they can feel comfortable and build long lasting relationships in their business.
Got networking questions? Email me at [email protected].