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Jul 22
If you’re like me, you attend a lot of networking events. Which means you’ve probably seen some people with great skills, and a few whose tactics and approach are all wrong. I know you’ve encountered them—it’s that guy (or gal), the one you smile at politely and then make a mental note to toss his business card in the trash when you get home.
Here are the seven deadly sins of networking:
- He only talks about himself.
- He can’t differentiate his business from the pack.
- He’s talking to you, but he’s looking over your shoulder.
- He belongs on What Not to Wear.
- He thinks you are an ATM machine (for information).
- He’s all about sales, sales, sales.
- He follows up, but it’s generic, all the addresses are blind copied, and the content has been cut and pasted from another e-mail.
Have I left anything out? What networking sins have you seen?
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
How about the people who only contact you when they need something?
July 23rd, 2009 at 5:11 am
@Lee Anne — Great addition. I’m always amazed by people that think you’ll use your social capital to help them when they’ve otherwise ignored you.
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:09 am
The one that pushes my buttons is the “taker”– as in, I am here because I need a job, I need business, I need ideas, and when I get them I leave and never get in touch again. (Or until I need something else from you.) I guess my “taker” commits most of your sins!
Networking, to me, is about giving, as much as getting. And I find the more generous you are, the better the experience for all involved.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 am
I especially like #3 — talking with you while looking over your shoulder. Sometimes when they spot a better prospect they fly off in the middle of a sentence. Groovy!
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:11 am
[…] This post originally appeared on IABC’s Communications World blog, along with some great discussion in the […]
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
I agree with Marilyn. The #DCTweetup that I do is very much against any of these things. Networking is about relationships, not sales. Build relationships, the sales will come.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:37 am
I have one that’s related. He or she wants to be published in a magazine. And that’s the pitch. Period. There’s no real idea, no effort to understand the goals of the publication or the needs if the audience. Just put me in the magazine because I want everyone to see my name in print. And can you do it now? Maybe I can add some pressure by throwing around some high powered names. Fortunately, IABC does not work that way.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 am
It’s #7 for me. I also agree wholeheartedly with Debbie Moore - it’s about providing value, not just about taking. To me, the whole issue spills over to LinkedIn, as well. I was at an event where the presenter, who was leading a workshop on the effective use of LinkedIn, insisted that one should connect with anyone at anytime - always. This, the individual said, will bring you thousands of connections. But what is the value of those connections if they can’t comment on what you do and how well you do it? I believe strongly in growing your network organically, one legitimate, personal contact at a time.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
The guy that drinks way too much, talks really loud and is everybody’s best friend. Fortunately, this can’t happen to me because I get soooo smart, funny and good looking when I drink.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I’ve always been amazed by folks who try to demonstrate their expertise by criticizing the work or qualifications of others. Newsflash: This does not make you look good. It makes people wonder if you’re going to badmouth *them* when it suits your needs.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:05 pm
I think people will just be people… I do agree with Joseph. I piques me to see people try to advance themselves by denigrating others. But as for the other many of the other items… aren’t we all a little guilty of some of them?
Or maybe it’s just me! (uh oh, self-revelation immanent, must distract self from poignant and discomfiting insight)
And then again, I couldn’t call myself a networking expert by any stretch of the imagination…
July 24th, 2009 at 5:49 am
[…] This post was Twitted by jonathangood […]
July 24th, 2009 at 9:12 am
[…] post titled ‘7 Deadly Sins of Networking: A Response’ which referred to a blog post at Communication World titled ‘7 Deadly Sins of Networking’. This was a great post and I’m in the viral mode as I’m reading it so here is my 2 […]
July 27th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Wow! What a great discussion. Amazing how many ways people can find to make a bad impression.
@melanie, @ joseph, @debbie — Great points. It’s sad how many “takers” are learning that lesson the hard way in this economy.
@marilyn — Groovy indeed, because we’re spared any more of them.
@natasha — Can you say editorial calendar? At least they’re giving you a snapshot of their true PR/comms. skills.
July 27th, 2009 at 8:07 am
@kip — Hopefully there’s a big difference b/w an occasional networking faux pas and annoying the heck out of everyone else in the room.
It’s climbing the learning curve that counts.
July 28th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Oh, good grief! I met one of these in the public library just last week. I was tottering down the stairs with a huge armload of books and he stopped me on the steps to talk. I did my best to be polite until he tried to hand me a piece of paper advertising his synthetic motor oil. Idiot. I only have two arms and they were full of books on how not to market myself in the fashion he was attempting. I suppose I can thank him, as I now have a very good example of what not to do when networking.
August 3rd, 2009 at 5:26 am
I recently published a book on networking & had bookmarks made up. I was appalled when someone I met at a networking event folded my bookmark in half & wrote all over it! I believe one should treat bookmarks, business cards etc with respect.