Whatever you are doing and in whatever area you are networking, make certain you are doing something you are passionate about. Why? Because that passion (or lack thereof) will come through in your networking efforts.
Let me give you a personal example. A couple of years ago, I bought part ownership in a sign store. It seemed like a good idea to have a business that had an existence outside of me. And signs are a part of marketing. Networking coaching is an aspect of marketing. It all seemed to fit.
But I had a very difficult time with marketing the sign store. I did many of the things I have recommended. I identified our target market. I identified complementary businesses that could be good referral sources. And then I went to my network to make it all happen.
In the very beginning, it seemed to work. My efforts were bringing in some sales and a couple of good repeat clients. I had a lot of people who were interested in meeting with me to see how my offerings could complement theirs.
But it never really took off. Good meetings, even ones with action plans, just didn’t seem to lead to long term referral relationships. Finally, I went back to coaching full time.
By the way, I made a lot of mistakes and lost a lot of money on that deal. But within a couple of weeks of putting it behind me and doing one on one meetings for coaching, people were telling me that I seemed happier than I had been in a long time. Odd that I seemed happy after I had just spectacularly failed in business and had lost a ton of money. But they were right. Because I was back to doing something I was passionate about. I was back to doing what I loved.
And things started to click in my networking. Meetings (still with action plans) were turning into referrals. People I met with to discover how we could refer each other said they wanted to start working with me. In about two months (during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season no less), I had a more active pipeline than I had had the entire rest of the year.
And everyone I met with said the same things. “You are so passionate and knowledgeable about networking!” and “Wow! I can tell you are a great coach!”
If only they had said the same things about me as a sign store owner. And in that two month period, I learned first hand the difference between networking something I liked versus networking something I was passionate about.
So how do you find your passion? Work with a coach. It’s the best way I know how to get there in the shortest period of time with the least stopping and starting. If you don’t or can’t work with a coach, start with what you like and work from there.
As a job seeker, passion is important. It will help you define the types of jobs you want and which companies you might like to work for. Passion will distinguish you from the candidate who “just wants a job.” Organizations want people who will stay with them and bring value. The candidate who shows passion is a much safer hire than the one who appears to be going through the motions.
As a salesperson, it’s important because you will be more successful selling what you are passionate about. As a small business owner, it is absolutely vital. When you work for someone else, you can afford to experiment until you get it right. If you try something, and it doesn’t work out, you can always look for a new job. As a small business owner, it’s much harder to just sell a company and move on, especially if you have employees in your business.
Finally, budding small business owners and franchises, be very careful about what business you get involved with. Lots of people are going to tell you that you don’t need to get into a business where you know how to do the work. And I agree with them. That can be its own trap, as you can get so caught up in “doing” the business that you ignore working on the business. So there’s a lot to be said for not getting involved in something that is your hobby. But don’t let anyone advise you to take a business where you aren’t at least interested in the product(s) you will be selling. Because if you can’t at least develop a passion for your business, you will be much less likely to be successful at it.
Tags: Networking, Referrals, Relationship building
I agree with what you’ve posted today. I finally learned the hard way to follow my passion. I started out after retiring from the “Big G” (federal government) thinking I’d be a free lance copywriter. Everybody needs good copy, right?
Well…maybe not! I love writing, but somehow, I realize now, I didn’t communicate a passion.
Search Engine Optimization is different. You have a hard time getting me to shut about it! And that passion has come through to the point I am getting work, much sooner and much easier, than I ever did as a copywriter.
The nice thing about offering SEO? I get to do some copy writing!