How to Guarantee People Won’t Take You Seriously (Lessons from a Networking Event)
Here are two quick things I saw at a networking event this morning that will guarantee that people won’t take you seriously. The first thing is wearing your Bluetooth headset while you’re at the event. You’re at a networking event to meet people. So be present with the people you’re talking to. When you have your Bluetooth at the ready for an incoming call, that tells me “you’re not important enough for me to give you my undivided attention for five minutes.” Take it out of your ear and turn it off. It doesn’t make you look important. It makes you look like you don’t care.
The second thing that will ensure I don’t take you seriously? Using your Gmail (or Yahoo, or Hotmail, or AOL) address for your business. Even the most inexpensive web hosting packages come with email addresses as part of the package. If I see that you have a web site with your own domain and you’re still using Gmail, that immediately sends me a signal that you don’t take your business seriously. And if I don’t feel like you take your own business seriously, why should I believe you’re going to take me seriously? Take advantage of the email hosting that’s probably already part of your web hosting and get yourself a professional email address.
I’m sharing this because while these are pet peeves of mine, I wasn’t the only one talking about them during the event. People notice. And people talk.
© 2012 Meredith Liepelt, Rich Life Marketing
Meredith Liepelt is a Brand Strategist specializing in creating visibility for experts. For branding and marketing insights, challenges and inspiration, visit www.RisingStarPublicity.com.
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Yes and yes. If I can add one: initiating a conversation with me, talking mostly about yourself/your biz for 5 minutes, and then not even asking about what I do out of courtesy etiquette. Can’t tell you how many networking events I’ve been to that a person does that, shoves their card into my hand, and then moves on to the next person. Unfortunately, it tends to make me wonder what sort of event it is that it attracts people who don’t “get it.”
Carolyn, you’re so right. Not enough people seem to realize that networking = relationship building. Passing out your card does not suddenly create a relationship. In fact, as you pointed out, it often has the opposite effect!
Meredith I agree with you. When people are not willing to turn of their phones and to have an email, that is not free, then they are not that serious when it comes to their business.
Your Friend in Marketing Ken Somerville