This is part of an episodic series, The Therapist’s Networking Guide.
To see the previous post in this series, click here.
If you are new to networking or have yet to find your own comfortable way, then taking time to identify myths, typical blunders, and common networking gaffs may ease your way on down the road.
Myth #1 that I had to get over was the one my mother taught me in kindergarten . . . Don’t talk to strangers. Sound familiar to anyone else out there? Think about it. If you struggle with talking to people you don’t know, then you probably learned this lesson, too.
Alfred Adler would have been the first to point out that many of the lessons we needed to learn as children no longer serve us well. If “Don’t talk to strangers” was once a guiding rule for you, it may be time to re-examine whether this lesson is still worth hanging on to. As for me, I gave it up a long time ago and have found that my ability to talk to anyone (human or fence post) helps put others at ease and makes my networking much more enjoyable!

"IMG_3638" by pkdon50
Myth #2 might be . . . Act like you know what you’re doing. You don’t need to act as if you know everything about the new networking group you’ve just shown up to check out. Neither do you need to fake that you know or remember people you’ve never met before. What you do need to know about is your professional expertise, a few current events, and basic social graces.
Myth #3 . . . Networking is serious business. Well, yes and no. You want to seriously benefit from the time, energy, and money that you are putting into it. But, networking is probably going to be less effective if you make it a somber and dull occassion. Try to relax! Plan to have fun! Maybe even laugh a little!
Myth #4 . . . Good things come to those who wait. Nope. If you passively / shyly stand in the back of the room and wait for potential referral sources to make their way to you, you are misguided. People who make things happen don’t have time to hunt you down for an introduction. Your job, if you want to network effectively, is to identify and approach the key people that can help you grow your business. Don’t wait for those you want to meet; instead, put them in your sight line as soon as you get to your meeting and take the initiative to meet them.
Myth #5 . . . If I make a mistake, I might not get a referral. That’s called risk aversion and this little blunder can kill your business. Being afraid to take simple human risks . . . like not knowing what to say or forgetting a name can end up costing you serious relationship assets.
Take a breath, take a risk, and be prepared to admit that on occasion you will forget what you were talking about or someone’s name. We all do it. It’s what makes us human. It’s NOT what costs you business!
If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to unpack your networking baggage. See what gets in the way. And, let us know if you come up with other networking myths / blunders / gaffs to add to our list!
Tags: Baggage, Relationship Assets, Risk Aversion