Port Angeles Vision

As a business owner and entrepreneur, you might expect my answer would be an instant, “Yes!” We are all taught from the beginning that we should be networking all the time. I actually agree that we should be networking all the time, but I’ve learned some things on my pilgrimage about networking.

I’ve been in business in Alaska, Nevada, and Washington for a total of 30 years. My experience has been precisely the same in each state. I joined many organizations in these places, including the local Chambers of Commerce, committees for community improvement (emergency management, prison ministry, habitat for humanity, Union Gospel Mission, speaking at various organizations, acting as a volunteer adviser to non-profits), and I joined a professional networking group in Bellevue when I lived there. Honestly, I can count on one hand how many referrals I received in 30 years, and I have asked at least a 100 other businessmen in the past 10 years how many referrals in actual closed deals they got, and they all pretty much shake their heads and say, “none really,” or “well, a couple, but that’s it.”  [Don't get sidetracked here and think I'm writing about income you've made from referrals from past clients.  How much income exactly have you made from getting a referral from someone in one of your social networking groups?]

My argument is that while we talk about networking to help our businesses and make money, most of the networking that goes on in communities like Port Angeles, is actually non-productive, meaning it produces no referral income at all.  [Networking in this context should not be confused with building one's own referral network with past happy clients.  That's not what I'm writing about here.]

For those who would argue that networking has other purposes, besides making the evil green stuff, I would wholeheartedly agree. But even on that point, I would argue that I have seen many business people over the years in various places participate not out of a pure motive to help others, but out of a selfish motive for recognition and personal glory. Networking with a social conscience to help others is good and righteous, but networking that is nothing more than dysfunctional behavior acted out in public is not good and righteous.

Alas, here is an opinion that may actually draw some responses. I hope so. What say you?  Please do not say, “Oh, I get tons of business networking socially,” unless you are willing to provide strong support or proof for your argument.

[On another post I'll tackle social networking on the Internet.  Stay tuned.]