Do you just hate networking? Does the word feel slimy. Yeah – me too. So don’t network. Instead, do something that matters more. Listen in today to my interview with John Corcoran as we discuss why networking does not work and what you should think about instead.

Click to Listen

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

In this episode John and and I talk about networking in a way that just makes more sense to me. Forget shaking of many hands and showing up at events trying to meet the right people. Here are a few points from the interview.

• Good networkers can be introverts. See the 2011 best networker in Fortune Magazine where Adam Rifkin is profiled. He is also mentioned in Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success.
• Why you need to network even if you are in the corporate cubicle and want to stay there.
• You should be intentional. You would never show up on a college campus and randomly walk into courses. Instead, we are intentional in what we do and where we go. In networking we should also be intentional.
• Challenges for new startups
  • Trying a hard pivot. If you are working in flower shops and wanting to start a yoga studio, you are having to learn everything from scratch.
  • Fear. This is mostly a lie since you are not nearly as secure as you feel.
• Challenges John is having in his business (as you might know – this is one of the favorite questions I like to ask)
  • Growing the business. Hiring help.
  • Developing systems and processes.
  • Keeping the growth up. Most of this is through connections in webinars. (You will  find many people doing webinars with John as a guest.)

Steps to take to grow your connections

• First, identify the people you need (or want) to build a relationship with. Get started here by reading John’s The Conversations List Strategy: How to be Purposeful in Your Networking Efforts
• Second, start doing it. This is where John excels – methodologies for building networks. To learn some of his door opening tricks, 5 Email Templates I Use to Contact Busy Influencers and VIPs (and get a response nearly every time).

Observations Made

• Webinars are a hot topic. Think webinars for the future of your business.
• Online universities and innovations. Check out UAB Information Engineering Management program.

About John Corcoran

• Learn more about John Corcoran and the Smart Business Revolution
• To contact John check out his contact page.