From the course: The Ultimate Guide to Professional Networking

How to market the old-fashioned way

From the course: The Ultimate Guide to Professional Networking

How to market the old-fashioned way

- You've probably heard the word networking 1000 times. It might even make you cringe. Let's face it. The term itself has something of an image problem. Say the word networking, and the first thing many of us think of is older people with name tags talking about that one time how I got a hole-in-one when the vendor took everyone out to the trade show for a round of golf or we think of breakfast meetings where the speaker presents his topic while we poke at our eggs and toast and then awkwardly try to make conversation with people we hardly know. My father and my grandfather did these things because that was the way to climb the corporate ladder back then. Things have changed in the past 20 years. And it's good news for those of us who don't like networking. That's right. I'm not a fan of what most people think of as networking and I'm betting you might not be either. I'm here to teach you what networking really means in today's day and age and how it can build your life and career in ways you might not have even expected. And you can get all the benefits without the corporate ladder, schmoozing, without fraternal orders, with no need for country club memberships or reciting carefully memorized elevator pitches. I'm here to tell you that the very notion that a fraternity or sorority would bring you a lifetime of beneficial connections is dead or dying. If you've been to events where you're supposed to hand out as many business cards as possible and collect as many as you can, well, I'm happy to report that this silly game is long over. So let's talk about what networking really is today. Today's networking is about building real relationships that will last a lifetime. It's something that goes beyond just your current job. It's an incredible asset that will carry over from job to job throughout your career, and even into a business you might own some day if you don't own one now. New networking is organic. It's about putting yourself into positive situations where sparks of opportunity might ignite new movements for you. Upward, laterally and out. Your network will consist of future partners, new employers, possible clients, mentors, and more. Lose whatever negative connotations the word networking has and embrace the new reality of what networking really is. Keep an open mind as you discover the surprising and long-lasting opportunities that are about to come your way when you implement these concepts.

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