Networking events can be useful prospecting activities for some people, as long as you go in with a strategy. But they're not a good fit for everyone.
If your ideal prospect is a high-level executive, networking events may not be a good fit for you.
Why do you think that most high-level executives don't typically go to networking events?
Let's use banking as an example. I don't want to pick on banking, but as an industry it does a good job of illustrating this concept.
When you go to a networking event, is it hard to find a banker? No.
Is it hard to find the president of a bank? Definitely!
At most networking events, you can't turn around without running into a banker. But the banks send people who don't make purchasing decisions to networking events!
Everyone who wants to do business with a bank wants to talk to the president of the bank. So they don't even expose themselves to that environment. Instead, they send out a whole slew of gatekeepers to network for them.
And it's not just banking. It happens in many different industries. You may even do it in your own company!
So when you think about where networking events fit into your prospecting plan, really examine if your ideal prospect is likely to be there or not.
Of course, it may be that you use networking events to look for referral partners and build other strategic relationships. In that case, just be sure to go to the events with a plan, and they can still be useful for you.
Crandall is the Principal of Sandler in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He works with business owners and motivated individuals to create and implement Professional Development Strategies to foster the growth of individuals, teams, and organizations.
