CHAPTER 4No Selling Ever: Keep Bobbing and Weaving

“Creating the ultimate networking relationship begins with the ‘give’ and not the ‘get’.”

William Wright, Founder & CEO, Financial Professionals Group

Image depicting a networking event where people are standing in three separate groups discussing something, and another person with a professional camera in his hand.

Networking is not the same as selling!

As we stated earlier, networking is a proactive approach to meeting people so that you can learn and potentially help those other people – not to sell your product or service.

Years ago, a friend of mine invited me to a trade show, asserting that there was great networking to be had. The trade show was in a huge convention center, and much to my surprise, my friend was there to greet me at the door. Without giving me time to get acclimated, he shuffled me through several exhibits and across an aisle or two, insisting that he introduce me to someone. Of course, I was interested and excited. As we made our way, we finally found our destination and my friend introduced me to a guy I'm going to call Dave, well, because that's his name. (But you knew that!) As Dave and I shook hands, I realized my friend who had just introduced us disappeared.

It was just Dave and me, standing there toe to toe in the middle of the ring. Anybody ever do that to you? Just leave you standing there with someone you don't know, for reasons unknown? I'm not the shyest guy in the world, so I was more than fine. I was just curious about why we were introduced in the ...

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