Going deep is best for networking

Networking is all about building relationships.

But, contrary to what some believe, the biggest value in those relationships comes from depth, not breadth.

Have you ever heard someone complain that networking is ‘always the same faces’? Well send that person my way and I’ll be happy to give them a talking to. Because a fundamental misunderstanding about networking is that it’s about meeting as many people as possible and giving them your sales pitch.

The reality is that networking works when you take the time to get to know people on a deeper level, and they do the same with you.

Because would you buy from someone you didn’t really know, or refer them to one of your valued contacts, just because they gave you a business card?

No, you’d want to get to know them first. You’d want to build up an understanding of what they do and a trust in their capabilities that only comes from a deeper knowledge of that person.

If you walk into a room of over 100 people, what’s the likelihood you can get to know every single one of them on a deep level through the course of a single event? Even if you were to focus in on one person you’d really like to get to know, relationships are not built in a day, never mind over a single lunch.

So if your idea of networking is attending lots of different events and then never seeing those people again, you’re missing the point. If instead you find the right group and commit to getting to know its members on a deep level over time, that’s when you’ll see the rewards.