If you’ve ever been networking, you’ve probably encountered the well-meaning individuals who want to give you networking advice. If you look young, you get a lot of this. I also understand that if you’re a woman, it is never-ending. I’m very sorry about that ladies. I’m always happy to swap networking horror stories with people, but this is an article about the worst networking advice I’ve ever received.
Wear Green
This was actually a well-meaning individual, and his advice is somewhat valid for some people. His advice was essentially to stand out, but that’s not what he told me. He told me I should dress head to toe in green. I’m a lawyer. The leprechaun lawyer is not the brand I was shooting for. However, what made his advice so bad was that he cornered me (literally in a corner) and wouldn’t let me out until every other person had left the networking event. I ended up meeting just him, and that was one too many people for me that day!
Add Them to Your Email List
I don’t know how this could possibly work for people, but I’ve been told numerous times that I need an email list (valid) and that I need to add everyone’s contact information to that list (not valid). Email lists are fine, but common convention is to have them be opt-in. That means you can ask if someone wants to join your email list and put a sign up on your website. However, you should never add someone without their express permission. Simply receiving their business card is not permission.
Either the advice is just a nugget that won’t die or it actually works for some people. However, it is dying. Email providers are cracking down on email lists that aren’t opened or are reported as spam more often. Too many disgruntled people on your list and you’ll end up in everyone’s spam box or blacklisted altogether.
Join Several Churches
I’m sure my face gave me away when I heard this one. A guy told me that I should join multiple churches with services at different times so that I could get clients from those churches. He was very proud of himself, like he cracked a certain code. One of the biggest rules of networking is to be genuine. Attending multiple churches to get business is an insanely disingenuous act.
Any Stereotypes
I’ve heard them all, and none of them are worth repeating. Any networking advice that is based on stereotypes about a person or group of people is the fastest way to end up in my no-contact pile. There are a lot of people in my phone with the last name “Don’t Answer” because of this garbage. Quite a few years ago, I ran a networking event out of my office and gave two men the option to stop being sexist or never come back. I never did see those men again.
Outdated Advice
Unfortunately for some people, the world of business isn’t the same as it was decades ago. Some of these pieces of advice are easier to forgive because in the end, they’re harmless. The more harmful ones require a harder response when you hear them. For example, when one guy told me I needed to bring an “attractive blond” with networking, I had to tell him that was pretty disgusting and not appropriate for a networking event.
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