Networking For Beginners

In a previous post; ‘Are Internet Marketing Seminars Just A Scam?’ I spoke about one of the benefits of attending workshops or seminars – ‘networking’.

You can reap the benefits of networking in all manner of situations. It doesn’t have to be confined to seminars or workshops. You can and should network anyplace, anytime, anyhow.

So What Exactly Is Networking?

Some people come out in a cold sweat just from the mention of the word!

It can conjure up all sorts of unpleasant images and scenarios.

-         “Networking is a waste of time. You just end up talking to boring people who have nothing interesting to say or offer me”.

-         “I’m just starting out, there’s no point in me trying to network with anyone”.

-         “He/she won’t want to network with me, They are far too successful already and probably way too busy”.

-         “I don’t need to network, I know exactly what I’m doing and what I need to achieve”.

-         “I know I should, but I really can’t be bothered today and it’s something I’m not really comfortable doing anyway”.

-         “I don’t go anywhere to network…so how can I?”

Do any of these statements sound familiar to you?

If they don’t then give yourself a pat on the back and feel good about yourself as you read the rest of this article!

However, I guarantee the majority of successful internet marketers will have all experienced at least 1 or 2 of the statements above when they first started out.

Personally, I shied away from the ‘networking thing’ for probably the first 2 years of my online business.

I hated the thought of approaching a total stranger or a big name guru and engaging ‘stimulating conversation’!

It just wasn’t me and I didn’t like all the hype surrounding it. It felt like I was being forced into this whole networking scene, (for my own good) and I hated it!

It’s funny though, because when someone approached me in those early days and showed an interest in what I was doing, I really enjoyed the experience and always got something out of it.

Leaving Your Comfort Zone.

As soon as you leave your nice, warm, familiar environment by stepping into the unknown and interacting with other likeminded people, a whole new world opens up to you.

You forge friendships, you receive advice, you share tips and experiences, you develop new systems, you try new ideas and methods - you build your business.

It cannot be over emphasized how important networking is to your online business.

Yes you can still be successful in the long run by going it alone. But with the help and support from your peers and mentors, you can get there so much quicker and enjoy the process so much more.

So What Is The Big Hang Up With Networking That We All Find So Uncomfortable?

The very word ‘networking’ is the problem.

If you were to replace it with ‘chatting’ or ‘having a chat’, would that sound better? It does to me.

And that in effect is all you need to do to master the sacred art of ‘networking’.

How easy is it to start a conversation with one of the following questions?:

“Hi, how are you doing?”

“Hi, what are you working on right now?”

“Hi, did you enjoy that last speaker?”

“Hi, I really enjoyed your presentation”

That’s all there is to it. That’s the art of networking. If you can talk, you can network!

So stop thinking you have to network whenever you’re at a seminar or workshop and start thinking about having a friendly “chat” with someone.

The chances are that person you say “hi” to, will be absolutely delighted to talk with you. From then on, the channels to exchange ideas and advice and possible joint ventures are well and truly open.

It’s so easy and enjoyable to do and once you get into the habit, there’ll be no stopping you - I promise!

It’s so addictive because you just don’t know what that person, who you’re just about to speak to is going to reveal to you. They may be a complete beginner or  have a very successful online business.

My Networking Experience

As I mentioned in paragraph one, I attended a free workshop in London. It was hosted by Frank Garon and John Thornley for 2 days, for over 300 attendees.

Here’s my networking experience from that event:

The first day I mainly observed. I chatted to a few people over the course of the day whilst queuing up for the free coffee or sitting in the conference room waiting for the next speaker.

We mainly spoke about how long it took to get to the seminar, where we were all accommodated and what we thought about 1 or 2 of the speakers.

It was all very pleasant and I met some lovely people.

On the second day I decided that I would steer the conversations down a different route.

Once the pleasantries of saying “hi” and “how are you enjoying the seminar?” were exchanged, I asked 2 questions:

“So where are you right now with your online business?” and “what do you ultimately want to achieve with your business?”

This opened up a whole new line of conversation.

I spent about 20 or 30 minutes chatting with 3 people on the second day, rather than just 2 or 3 mins on the first day.

We shared stories and experiences.

I shared what my specific business was (ebooks), what was working for me and what hasn’t worked for me in the past.

They shared their experiences. One guy in particular, had been online since 1999 but had not made a start in building his business.

Another guy was a student of 2 or 3 online marketing experts but didn’t feel they offered him what he needed and was still looking for the right one.

Lots of different stories and all fascinating in one way or another.

Now you might think that none of these conversations were of any benefit to me. But that is far from the case.

I learnt what was holding people back and why they thought their business wasn’t going as planned.

I learnt about what they wanted for a business and what they were prepared or not prepared to sacrifice, to attain their goals.    

These conversations re-emphasized to me, the importance of spending time on work you have a real passion for.

The very first ebook I wrote was on a subject I knew very little about and wasn’t something that excited me.

Consequently it took just under 12 months to write! 

So I understand the importance of choosing a project, especially when you’re first starting out, that really fires you up and gets you going.

I’ve seen so many people give up on their projects when they hit a few obstacles or become bogged down by some technical problem.

Their excitement and drive soon diminish because the subject they chose wasn’t a subject they were passionate about and didn’t give them that motivation to battle through any difficulties.

This is possibly the biggest reason why so many people are not successful with their internet marketing business.

It is a topic I refer to many times and I make no apologies for writing several related articles discussing its merits.

So I gleaned some useful information from my fellow attendees just by passing the time of day and saying “hi”.

But the real advantage to attending seminars is getting the chance to have some one-on-one time with your favorite speaker.

Now not everyone is going to get this chance. But if you are determined enough it will happen. Besides, the speakers love to chat. That’s what they are there for. They want to be approached and they want to try and help you out.

So find an opportunity, preferably not straight after they’ve delivered their presentation, to get some one-on-one time alone.

The workshop I attended in London gave me the chance to speak to a guy I had admired through the internet – Frank Garon.

He was a guy I could relate to and he talked a lot of sense in a straight forward, easy to understand style.

Unfortunately I never grabbed that opportunity. I did manage a quick few words, but not the one-on-one time I was hoping for.

Not a problem because there was another speaker, whose presentation I particularly enjoyed, that I also wanted to meet.

I managed to bump into him in the lobby of the hotel that was hosting the event. His name is Jerry Hart and I thought his presentation was one of the best talks regarding internet marketing, I had ever heard.

The thing is, it’s even easier to network with one of the speakers. They just love all that adulation! Who wouldn’t?!

So a simple “hi Jerry, I really enjoyed your presentation this morning” was all that was needed to open a new door of opportunities.

We had a great chat for about 15 minutes, exchanged business cards and agreed to keep in touch.

Wow! How easy was that and how good did it feel afterwards?

I have since been corresponding with Jerry via email and have spoken to him over the phone at his home in LA.

This is laying the foundations for a fantastic business relationship and a friendship from someone I’d never even heard of just over a month ago.

Ain’t this business just great?!

I have also spoken over the phone with another fellow attendee who found my blog by searching for the names of 2 of the speakers from the workshop.

My article - ‘Internet Marketing Seminars, Are They Just A Scam?’ and a link to my blog, was at number 2 on Google when he searched for these 2 guy’s names!

He simply dropped me an email, we got chatting and we ended up talking over the phone for over an hour.

So he networked with me 2 weeks after the workshop. We both benefited from the conversation and I’m sure we’ll keep in touch.

That’s how easy it is to network. Not so hard is it?

Not only is it fun and easy to do, it really can take your business to the next level.

You never know what friendships and business opportunities can develop, just by saying “hi”.

To coin my favorite quote – “Carpe Diem” (Seize the day)

Peter