The Right Connection

At Loyal2U we go to a lot of networking events. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. Every week I go to at least one and sometimes three and I have trained the sales team to do the same. We love networking meetings so much that we happily acquired The Calgary Business Network just after Christmas this last year just so we could go to more of them and have a hand in what makes networking so awesome.

Between networking and the social media vortex that we have created online we get a lot of new business from these events. We build relationships with our customers by taking them along and connecting them to their ideal clients. We create relationships with new prospects by meeting them at the events or solidifying relationships that we made online. So having had a little experience in networking I always enjoy hearing a fresh perspective.

Recently I attended a Real Estate networking event. There was beer and food and lots of networking. One of my clients had asked me to come and she was a marvelous hostess introducing me to many of her colleagues and friends with tremendous edification. I was having a delightful time meeting new people and enjoying many conversations.

Earlier in the week an associate of mine had advised me to take stacks of business cards and to work the crowd, but I found myself instead drawn to just a few good people where I was truly building relationships. At one point in the evening I ran into another “networker” friend who made a profound point that I shall never forget.

This gal told me that her approach was entirely different. She no interest at all in making dozens of connections with people who would not remember her next week. No. She was there just to make 2 or 3 connections with key people that she would want to do some business with over the next year. She had not specifically targeted an individual. It was not a ploy to ‘get in good’ with the leader of XYZ Corporation. It was just a simple method that worked for her. She would meet up with friends, find out about people, and trust that timing, instincts or Divine intervention would put her in front of 2 or 3 great contacts that would really matter in the larger picture of life. She would simply be herself, be confident, and be available for something GREAT to happen.

What was really interesting was the fact that after she told me this method one of my long time colleagues became a fresh contact and an instant friend that very night. It was a pleasure to see two great people line up together to do future business endeavors.It was a moment of absolute Divine Appointment as her dream came true, her method worked and she made an important contact for her business' success.

Later in the evening I too found myself in a long and powerful conversation with someone that I had not spoken to in months. That encounter positioned me as well for some awesome opportunities in the next year.

So in the end I would recommend that we all could learn from her. It is not always the number of people that you connect to. Quality and real heartfelt connection are better in many cases than shear numbers. Enjoy your events. Enjoy your relationships. Enjoy your success. After all, what else is there but good food, good friends, family and the joy of a good life?