Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | January 8, 2018 | Worcester Business Journal 29 H ow many networking meetings are you scheduled to attend this month? One per month, two per month, one per week? Networking meetings are well marketed. They offer the promise of that one connection that will lead to business. That one person who will become a great connector for you. That one center of influence that seems to know everyone, and instantly opens up their contacts to you. The problem with networking meet- ings are for the 20, 30 or 40 people in the room, the odds of that one person you want to meet being there are almost nil. The other people in the room are the same as you; they're look- ing to meet that one person. Here's something I've learned after 30+ years of focusing on relationships as the core of business success – the people who are the decision makers, the generous connectors, the centers of influence – they know who they are and the role they fill. And, they don't go to networking meetings. The networking meeting is like the porch light that attracts moths. The sci- ence behind this is called phototaxis. Phototaxis is an organism's automatic movement toward or away from light. Moths are positively phototactic. They Networking meetings are like moths to light THANK YOU FOR VOTING LPA BEST ARCHITECTURAL FIRM We are honored to be recognized by the WBJ Best of Business Award. Thank you to our clients, staff, and consultants. • 24-hr Emergency Service • Office Cleaning Celebrating 17 years of excellence 997 Millbury St., Suite A Worcester, MA 01607 (866)45.EAGLE www.eaglecleaning.com Proud Winner of Worcester Business Journal's Best Of Business Two Years in a Row! • Day Porter Service • Carpet and Upholstery Shampoo • Restroom Sanitation • Stripping and Refinishing Floors • Post Construction Cleaning COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • INSTITUTIONAL Daily/Nightly Janitorial Service BOB A W A R D S B E S T O F B U S I N E S S Congratulations to all of the 2018 Best Of Business Winners The Rainmaker BY KEN COOK Don't be charmed by the promises networking meetings make, but seldom fulfill. Your time is precious. Make the most of your time by going to the places your decision makers and centers of influence attend. seem charmed by the porch light, head- lights or campfire (even if it leads to their untimely demise). Don't be charmed by the promises networking meetings make, but seldom fulfill. Your time is precious. Make the most of your time by going to the places your decisionmakers and centers of influence attend. • If your focus is on decision makers of small and midsized manufacturing companies, get involved in the state and national manufacturing associations. • If you want to connect with decision makers of high-growth companies, attend Inc. Magazine, Fast Company Magazine, or Venture Capital sponsored events. • If you want to connect with the chief financial officer, attend CFO con- ferences sponsored by organizations such as The CFO Forum or Argyle Executive Forums. Another strategy is to create your own events where decision makers and/or influencers would find value in attending. This could be as simple as a dinner party you host. Invite six to eight decision makers, some who may know each other, and definitely some who do not. Connect them over a meal. This is a great opportunity to be generous and provide something the decision maker or influencer can't get anywhere else. If you are a golfer, assemble a four- some offering connections; a decision maker, an influencer, and one of your current customers. Like the dinner party, a round of golf is relaxed and is four to six hours of one-on-one time, especially if there are a couple of hours at the 19th hole afterwards. While the marketing of networking meetings is the 100-watt light bulb for salespeople, it is not the best place to meet and connect with the people you want and need. Be thoughtful with your time, your connections, and the activities delivering results. Don't go to the light. Instead, go to where your decision makers and influencers go. You'll have a much higher probability of making the valuable connections that evolve into the relationships that are the foundation of success. Ken Cook is the co-founder of How to Who, a program on how to build strong relationships and how to build business through those relationships. Learn more at www.howtowho.com. W

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