This article originally appeared in the November 2021 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
In 2019, I wrote an article for Security Business about networking in which I made the claim that new connections don’t matter today unless they perceive the salesperson as competent.
Two years and one global pandemic later, I thought I should challenge this statement. After all, we have seen less of each other than we ever have, and new connections have been extremely rare. Maybe people don’t care how competent we are? Maybe they just want to meet other people?
Conclusion: Yes, ultimately all new connections that you meet through networking will need to trust that you are competent, and many will require a level of subject matter expertise; however, during my thinking exercise, I also concluded that meeting new people will be different and can be a whole lot easier today.
Here are five strategies to consider when networking in today’s environment.
1. People are desperate for collaborative discussions about new technology. Imagine that you and your five closest friends were asked to watch an entire season of a new television show, but you were not allowed to communicate about it until the season had ended (for the record, I don’t mean the six-episode binge-fest that is common today – I am talking about 25 weekly episodes). How much would you be looking forward to talking about this show with your friends? How excited would you be to learn what they liked, who they despised, and what they predicted for next season?
That is exactly how we all feel right now when it comes new technology that has been released over the last two years. What’s working? What has been falsely advertised? What is vaporware? Of course, we have been able to communicate via digital methods, but most of us are desperate for live collaboration with other security professionals.
Take advantage of this window of time. Schedule coffee and lunch appointments, conduct lunch and learns, and create as many trusting relationships as possible while this desire is still present.
2. Prepare for events to be well attended and full of awkward energy. As excited as most people are to network again, we are all out of practice. If you can be the person that makes things easier and little less rusty, others will look at you with more respect and presume you to be competent.
You can do this with preparation. Establish goals for each event. Determine who you would like to meet. Have ice-breaker topics on the tip of your tongue. Make the reintroduction to networking easier for everyone.
3. There will be more speaking opportunities, so take advantage of them. Speaking is one of the best methods to present an image of expertise, and I cannot recall a better time for an amateur speaker to shine. Speaker coordinators at all associations are starting from scratch and have no backlog of presenters. Speaking volunteers are out of practice and not as willing to put themselves behind a lectern. Now is your best opportunity to win a speaking opportunity to demonstrate your brilliance (or at least your competence).
4. Plan time to follow up. While thank-you notes, LinkedIn connections, and appointment setting might have been part of a natural routine a few years ago, today these activities need to be scheduled. After every networking event, block off about 30 minutes to simply follow-up from the event. You are rusty – heck, we are all rusty. Until you get back in the groove, schedule time to follow up.
5. Fist bumps all around! Some people are dying to hug people, others will be happy to shake hands, and some still do not want to be within six feet of anyone. How do you know the difference? You don’t – so, what can you do? Fist bump. No one will be offended by your fist bump and maybe you will skip catching a cold this year!
Chris Peterson is the founder and president of Vector Firm (www.vectorfirm.com), a sales consulting and training company built specifically for the security industry. To request more info about the company, visit www.securityinfowatch.com/12361573.
