Who is up for a Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Facetime networking call? I’m sure most of us have had invitations to these and some have probably even attended or hosted their own. I’ll be the first to admit I was not super enthused about the prospect of sitting in front of a camera for an hour or more to give a 60-second commercial. However, after doing a handful of these I am feeling more and more enthused about their viability long term.
While you miss out body language and the ability to have a side conversation with someone you hope to do business with, you can still spread the good word about your work and learn about the work others are doing. One of my favorite things about the virtual networking I’m doing today, is how almost every group is looking for business owners to share their strategy on how they are making it through these unchartered waters. Not only have the tips these business owners shared helped me and my business, it has also given me the peace of mind that our business is doing a lot of things correctly. Knowing that you are not going through this alone and that other people are having similar experiences have been a saving grace.
So for those who are uncertain as I was about the viability of online or virtual networking, I encourage you to give it a shot. As arguably the greatest hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky, once said, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” So I encourage you to take your shot. What’s the worst that could happen?
Written by Robbie Korth
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Robbie Korth at rkorth@parkassociates.com.