Earlier I attended a large network of about 70 members.
What an experience! Characters galore!
Have you noticed any of these at your network meetings?
Busy Betty – To be a Busy Betty you must have at least 100 business cards on you. Remember, you only have a few minutes to drop a card on every chair. Once the speeches start they will not allow you to continue. So do not make eye contact as you charge from table to table dropping your card and networking.
Barry the bagman – Like the bag-lady down the road who collects junk, Barry collects business cards. He will ask whoever is within ten meters for their cards. Barry will strip the data off the cards, put them on a mailing list and for ten weeks you will get an email every week selling herbal remedies. His emails will be most insistent and make outrageous claims about their efficiency.
Serious Sarah – Serious Sarah has a cause and is determined to convert one person to her cause this morning. Usually it is something like Natural childbirth vs. Caesarean Birth. She will explain what happens while the Baby passes down the birth canal. The blood and gore are described in great detail as you consume the runny eggs on your plate.
Desperate Dennis – Desperate Dennis is part of a sinking ship. His knows that his business is crashing and as he tries to share his idea, the pessimism shines through. You end up feeling so sad that you give him some business just to ease your conscience.
Then there is Mary the Marketer. She understands that people are more likely to buy from someone they like and trust. She knows to listen carefully when others speak. She understands that she has to contribute value to the other party.
She realises she is unlikely to get business during a 90 minute breakfast. So Mary will follow up, happy to know that business is more likely to flow if she keeps contact.
So who are you at the network meeting?
