How To Network Effectively - Part 2

July 14, 2010

Interview with Ivan Misner, author of the book Networking Like a Pro: Turning Contacts into Connections

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Mike Carruthers:
Getting out and meeting new people is important for anyone in business but it’s not always easy or natural.

Ivan Misner:
I have found that most business people are basically cave dwellers and they can’t figure out why no one is referring them. Well networking is a contact sport; you’ve got to get belly to belly with people. 
 

Ivan Misner, author of the book Networking Like a Pro, says you don’t have to be an extrovert to be good at networking.

Both introverts and extroverts have a different skill set in the networking process. Extroverts have no problem walking up and meeting people but extroverts have a hard time shutting up. On the other hand introverts have a difficult time meeting people but when they do they’re much better at asking questions and listening. So both introverts and extroverts have a weakness and a strength at networking and if they can learn how to develop those weaknesses into strengths – both introverts and extroverts can be good at networking.

And Ivan says good networking isn’t just about meeting lots of people it’s about meeting the right kinds of people.

You want to build a powerful personal network, make it diverse. Which is counterintuitive to most business people. They think, “Wow I want to find Vice President’s, I’m looking for Vice President’s of companies so that I can sell directly to the owner”. Well those people are hiding from you; so they don’t join groups that you’re in, believe me they don’t. So what you want to do is surround yourself with people who might know people like that. And the best way to do that is to make it very diverse which is counterintuitive to businesses.

 To hear the complete unedited interview, click here