We often have people who come to us and say, “I want to go out and meet as many people as I can because every x number of people that I meet is going to be a client for me.” Whether it is for selling insurance or for investing in their company, that’s not really quite how it works. I have always seen it this way: you have a small group of people that you are very, very close to in your life at any given time (may be 3-5 people). Then you have another group of 20 people, including those 4 or 5, that you are good friends with. This group consists of the people you deal with on a daily, or very regular, basis. Next, you have a group of maybe 200 people which includes the 20, which includes the 5. This group of 200 are the people you can talk to but there is not enough time to get to know them super personally. The people you deal with on a daily basis can fold into one of those closer groups, the people you deal with on an annual basis can fall into the larger group, but once you get past a certain number, there is a massive drop-off on your ability to have a relationship, make a deal, raise money, or make a sale. So, when networking, you must be very thoughtful in deciding who you want to include in your circle. These should be people you feel good about, who you feel you can bring value to, and who you feel can bring value to you.
No comments yet