I had an interesting experience I wanted to share with you – partially to get it off my chest – partially to get some conversation going and gauge others’ views on the subject.
Following meeting someone at a face to face networking event where we exchanged cards, they suggested we should talk as they might be in need of what we do.
I set up a meeting a little while later and as it was only fair to meet between our two locations we chose a lovely riverside hotel that I know well. I turned up 15 mins before the meeting to discover that the venue had a private party so was closed.
Disappointed and not a little embarrassed I phoned the mobile number of the person I was meeting to discover they had just arrived in the car park. What followed surprised me…
There was a distinct unwillingness to go to another venue for our meeting, a sense that he knew what I did completely and a desire to get me to sell what he did for the sole purpose of getting a kick back, which he would explain how it worked once I had provided him with the first lead.
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I suspect he totally missed the point. To assume every painter and decorator, video production company, plumber does precisely what it says on the tin is to say the least a little naive. As my grandma once said to me – to assume makes an ass of you and me. 1-2-1 meetings provide an opportunity to get to know one another. To find out what particular areas of expertise the other person has, how they help those who they are working with and perhaps most importantly – their why… Why they do what they do, what gets them up in the morning. I genuinely wanted to understand what he provided to be able to see whether there are people in my network who could benefit from his services. Thinking that I would only be interested in passing on referrals because he has a very rewarding financial package for those who I forward onto him but that he would not tell me more about it until I started that process.
On the upside therefore I was in the car and on my way home within moments – the downside was that I knew very little more about him, his organisation or what they could offer the people that I come in contact with and he certainly knew nothing about what I actually do – he probably has some preconceived ideas some of which may be correct, I would have to stress may be correct however 
I guess I have learned that I need to find more reliable places to meet up with people, there are a number of things I look for from places to meet, wifi, good coffee, easy to park ideally without having to pay.
I am certainly not put off having 1-2-1 meetings, they are a very powerful part of the networking process, I just look forward to more productive meetings in the future. I would very much value your thoughts on the subject – please do comment…
Jay Blake
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