The most common networking mistakes! What do you think they are?

Fares
46 replies
Networking is essential to business success. The more we interact with others, the more we become aware of the opportunity for growth. The networking can happen anywhere and be successful. But we have LinkedIn & Twitter (the online networking) it's much more complicated. It has to be strategic, structured and planned, all without going too much into self-promotion or excessive presentations, the best practice is to make yourself known while discovering the others! how do you do it?

Replies

Caner Lenger
There are good advices here. 👍 I have started a discussion about same topic 10 days ago. And I mentioned a few in the description of that. "Business networking mistakes and how to avoid them" https://www.producthunt.com/disc...
Daniel Engels
Being to shy - or too arrogant on the opposite! Timid people miss infinite opportunities. Excessively outgoing people might scare their network by being direct and pitching too early. There is some optimal middle ground between these two.
Fares
@daniel_engels This is an important point to remember. It's a wise advice, Thank you
Yassin Bouacherine
@daniel_engels Perfectly said, nothing to add on this one! This optimal middle ground is porbably the most difficult to ever.
Pablo Ignacio
@daniel_engels Well said, sometimes we ended up pitching too much and not caring about making real connections.
Frankie Zhang
@daniel_engels Totally agreed. The middle ground is what we need to work on when networking!
Elia
@daniel_engels Wow, well said! Networking isn't an easy job and the journey can be challenging. Good points!
Matt Gaucher
Starting the conversation with templated messages is one of the biggest problems here. Especially on a social platform like Twitter, you could easily just go to their media section and find a TV show, gif, etc. they posted and relate that way. Or just compliment a specific recent post. I also see a lot of non-English users having trouble in this realm, since they address a lot of people as "sir"/ "dear" and their networking attempts are usually written off as "strange" and uncomfortable.
Fares
@gaucherm Nice approach, I like the idea of complimenting a specific recent post, as long as there is an added value. I totally agree on the language problem. but it can be the opposite depending on the education of the person who received the message? it's a real problem
Matt Gaucher
@fares_aktouf I mean even if the person receiving a message like that is in fact educated, the reality is that they probably won't respond regardless.
Fares
@gaucherm You're probably right! I told you about this because my old boss didn't follow up on emails or calls if they weren't polite and formal. but I imagine that with our generation it's different
Bernard Badó
Overselling our ideas
Fares
@bernard_bado it's true, we have to find the right balance
Launching soon!
Networking and relationships need investment; some people fail to invest in others. To create good networking, you need to add value to others; some people fail to add value to others and try to become superior.
Fares
@qudsia_ali this is absolutely true, what advice would you give us?
Pablo Ignacio
Not listening. I think we tend to talk about what we do or who we are more than what we listen the other.
Amar Yousaf
Wasting time with unhelpful information
Fares
@amar_yousaf I agree. not too much, not too little
Soumya Chaturvedi
The most common networking mistakes people make are not approaching opportunities with a positive mindset
Fares
@soumya_chaturvedi you're right, we have less chance to succeed in an action if we don't believe in it
Shreyanshi Gupta
There are a few common networking mistakes that people make, and they usually boil down to two things: expecting too much from the network and not valuing their time. The first mistake is assuming that simply being in close proximity to other individuals will result in constructive conversations or opportunities. In most cases, this isn't the case - you have to go out of your way (and put in some extra effort) if you want something positive to come from it. The second mistake is underestimating how valuable our time actually is. We often overestimate what we can get done within a given amount of time - but this isn't always true! Time constraints rarely dictate the quality or quantity of our work – so be sure not to let them do so!
Fares
@shreyanshi_gupta1 - Value the time of your network, - Have constructive conversations, These are really points of attention for me, but they are very difficult to grasp
Hina Ashfaq
I believe the most common networking mistakes are Lack of follow-up & Confusing networking with face-to-face cold calling
Pasit Viwatkurkul
Not following up is probably the biggest mistake! Beautiful relationships and future partners started by just catching up with them after the first network meetup. Being yourself key. People can feel if you are genuine or trying too hard.
Fares
@pasitobaki Very good advice; Being yourself is essential
Mélodie Girardo
be yourself, do not try to please absolutely
Murali Gottumukkala
Followup, Followup & Followups
Cyril Dubson
It's not doing networking.
TheAnkurTyagi
You cannot afford to prejudge people; you simply don’t know who they know or who they can connect you and your business with.
Fares
@theankurtyagi This is not wrong at all, very good advice. It also applies to relationships in life as a whole
Kwesi Peyna
Asking someone for a favor from the jump. You should first give before you expect to receive
Siddarth Jain
Going in with an urgent goal/objective. IMO, when you have a very specific deadline/goal in mind with the person you're trying to network with, it creates pressure in your mind and it becomes visible in the cold message. Don't have too many immediate expectations from the networking experience. If there's an instant RoI, great. Else, keep them in the loop and something might come up in the future. ✨
Jake Pryszlak
"Everyone will network with me" This is a big no no! Be selfish, and network with individuals who can help you in the short, medium and long term
Rahul Asthana
Attending quite a few networking events i can answer this: - Not being a good listener - Not Empathizing - Not Learn a new anything from the person - Not following up to deepen the connect