5 Networking Mistakes You Don't Even Realize You're Making

Walk into almost any chamber networking event and you’ll see people are chatting in small groups,
exchanging business cards, grabbing coffee, and making introductions.

Some attendees leave with new relationships that turn into referrals, partnerships, and customers.

Others leave with a pocket full of business cards, most of which will be forgotten, and pulled out
later wondering who they belong to.

The difference usually isn’t personality, the flashiest elevator pitch, or the biggest company. More
often than not, it’s the small habits that either encourage people to keep talking to you or quietly push them away.

If networking feels like work with little return, one of these common mistakes could be getting in your way.

1. Talking More Than You Listen

It’s natural to want to explain what you do. After all, that’s why you’re there, right?

Not exactly.

While a conversation about what you do is easy for both sides, people remember how you made them feel far longer than they remember your list of services. If you dominate the conversation, you’ve missed the opportunity to learn what matters to the other person. You’ve failed to recognize what could have become an open door to future connections and business.

Instead of launching into a rehearsed pitch, ask questions.

• What brought you to today’s event?
• What’s been keeping you busy lately?
• What’s something exciting happening in your business?

People enjoy talking about themselves, and they’ll often volunteer information that helps you identify ways to help them or connect them with someone else.

Ironically, the less you talk about yourself, the more memorable you become.

2. Treating Every Conversation Like A Sales Opportunity

Few things end a conversation faster than realizing you’re being treated like a prospect instead
of a person.

Networking isn’t speed dating for sales.

While most people will tell you the goal is more sales, you can’t start there. First, you want to build
trust. The business owner you meet today may never become your customer. They might, however, refer five people to you over the next three years. They may become a strategic partner. They may invite you to speak to their organization.

Those opportunities only happen when relationships come first.

People buy from people they know, like, and trust. Networking helps create the “know” and like part. The trust takes time.

3. Staying With People You Already Know

It’s comfortable to walk into an event and immediately find coworkers, longtime members, or familiar faces. It’s also one of the easiest ways to limit your return on investment.

Challenge yourself to meet at least three new people at every chamber event.

If someone is standing alone, introduce yourself. If you see a group, ask if you can join the
conversation. Most people appreciate someone taking the first step because they’re just as nervous as you are.

This is critical at any networking event. After all, your next customer probably isn’t the person
you’ve known for the last ten years. If they wanted to hire you, they already would have.

4. Forgetting to Follow Up

Networking doesn’t end when the event does.

In fact, that’s when the real work begins.

If you had a meaningful conversation with someone, don’t wait weeks to reconnect.
Send a short email. Connect on LinkedIn. Mention something specific you discussed.

“Enjoyed meeting you at the chamber breakfast. I appreciated hearing about your expansion plans. I’d love to continue the conversation over coffee sometime.”

Simple. Personal. Easy.

Many business owners attend networking events regularly. The people who follow up are the ones who stand out.

5. Focusing on What You Can Get Instead of What You Can Give

The best networkers have a different mindset.

Instead of asking, “Who can help me?”

They ask, “Who can I help?”

Introduce two people who would benefit from meeting each other.
Recommend someone for a project that’s outside your expertise. Share someone’s social media post or attend their ribbon cutting.

Generosity has a way of coming back around. Business communities thrive when members become connectors instead of collectors.

The Best Networking Tip Isn’t Really About Networking

Every chamber has members who seem to know everyone. They walk into a room and conversations
naturally begin. That’s probably because people can tell they’re genuinely interested in others.

Approach networking with curiosity instead of an agenda. Ask thoughtful questions. Listen carefully. Look for ways to help before looking for ways to sell.

You’ll build stronger relationships, earn more referrals, and discover that networking becomes much less about working the room and much more about becoming part of the community.

Christina Metcalf is a writer and women’s speaker who believes in thepower of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She is the author of The Glinda Principle, rediscovering the magic within.
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