Unfortunately being in a network doesn’t automatically make someone have good people skills, and some never seem to get beyond thinking networking is somehow about numbers. At large events with a lot of people, I find the most useful approach is to use the opportunity to ‘connect’ at some level with just a few, and then follow that up with a one-on-one meeting at a more relaxed venue. Spruiking and making a noise doesn’t mean that anyone is listening, and often the message sent by doing that is one that says “stay away from this lunatic”. Not good networking!

I’m not sure about quotas, but having a structure to the network allows for better focus and less opportunity to waste large amounts of time for no purpose. There are all kinds of ways that we can be of assistance to our network partners. Referrals are just one way. Opportunities arise as and when they will, but our job if we have one, is perhaps to notice them, not to force referrals to people who don’t really want to see anyone.

The one thing I don’t really like about networking (of the traditional face-to-face type) is how it often feels like these networking groups are hounding you to join the second you launch a business just so they get numbers.
I think the organisers have nothing but good intention, but it just ends up being overcrowded events where everyone’s desperately trying to get their monies worth by spruiking their business, and no one’s really getting a good sense of what anyone else does.

I particularly dislike these networking groups based on a race for referrals. I’d rather do “natural networking”. Wouldn’t you rather someone referred your business because they legitimately thought it was a good one that could help someone else – as opposed to being referred to go see three people just because someone in your networking group had to fill their monthly quota for referring other members?