M’s the word: Networking and the art of marketing excellence

Networking requires us to recognise that we all have something to offer

By Malcolm Allison on Feb 9, 2012

I filled in the templates, answered all the questions, even down to identifying the five pieces I would have on my iPod/MP3 player. In case you are interested: More Than Words (Extreme); Der Weg (Herbert Grönemeyer); As Tears Go By (Rolling Stones); Chasing pavements (Adele); Jessica (Allman Brothers Band). Then discovered to my irritation that I had saved the file, and not sent it in November, so it went late. It went too late to get included in the booklet, but more importantly too late for the songs to be included in the playlist for the evening entertainment. Though I am afraid that three of those choices would mean nothing to most of the delegates.

I had been selected to be a Marketing Excellence Champion. This is an honour, though a little surprising, as I have not actually been on the Marketing Excellence course. I have written large segments of a Marketing Excellence course in previous companies, and I have taken a number of courses, but I have never been on one.

The two-day course for Champions is an amalgam of skills and revision of key elements of the ME course, so as I am only half way through, and my status has not been revealed. I have a fighting chance of bluffing my way through the refresher element tomorrow, as long as there is not a test.

One of the presenters said, as I was about to leave, that you are never too old to learn, so here is my lesson.

Networking is about giving value to others, storing up favours that will be repaid to you at some time, perhaps by the people in your debt, or perhaps by someone who has received a benefit from a recipient of your gift. I was asked why I am not a better networker, and I gave an honest answer.

I do not feel I have anything that would be remotely interesting to anyone. I have a fear that once I have told a couple of jokes and recited an anecdote about my work, my line in conversation becomes so linear and dull that there is nothing to offer. There was a clear drop in noise and an embarrassing silence for about 1.5 seconds. There was the sort of frisson that runs through the crowd when the vicar swears. The presenter recovered the situation skilfully, making a neat repair in the tapestry that would have been missed by all but the pedant, and after a further 20 minutes we broke for the evening.

During the evening, a number of well-meaning people, all ladies, which is interesting in its own right, sincerely engaged me in conversation to tell me that I really do have something to offer. Which was unexpected and rather nice, I have to say. And in the warm glow, I took my leave silently, before I became the linear bore. But not before a little enlightenment.

Networking requires us to recognise that we all have something to offer. There is someone out there who really does want a pair of second-hand red curtains, and they will be grateful for your generosity when they connect with you. It may take some time, of course, but it will happen. So persevere, keep putting out the curtains; you never know what might happen.

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