Who You Don't Know Matters

Conventional wisdom is “Who you know matters”. In so many cases, this is absolutely true. Referrals, recommendations, invitations, jobs and contracts result from relationships we’ve made and fostered. We need to continue to nurture our relationships by staying connected and continuing to add value for our friends and associates. At networking events, however, the rule changes. Networking events do provide a valuable opportunity to strengthen existing relationships. They also allow us to initiate contacts with those we haven’t yet met. If we fail to broaden our circle, we’ve missed 50% of the value that can be derived from networking events.