Why You're Getting Networking Wrong (And What It's Actually For)
Why You're Getting Networking Wrong (And What It's Actually For)
Most people walk into a networking event with a target. Leads to generate. Business to win. If nothing converts, the morning was wasted.
That framing misses almost everything networking actually does. And if you're a business owner who's serious about growth, including building a team, it's worth understanding what you're really there for.
The transactional trap
Last Friday I was at Brighton Racecourse for the Big Business Breakfast Club. Good room, good people, no pressure pitching. No sales agenda, just genuine conversation.
That's not unusual at a well-run networking event. But it's at odds with how a lot of business owners approach the room.
The default assumption, especially among people who are time-poor or new to networking, is that the metric is leads generated. You go, you talk, you follow up, you convert. If nothing converts quickly, networking gets written off.
The problem is that behaving transactionally in a networking room actively undermines what you're trying to build. Nobody wants to be sold at over scrambled eggs. The person who pivots every conversation to their pitch within 90 seconds is building a reputation. Just not the one they intended.
What networking actually does
The real return is relational and reputational. It compounds over time rather than paying out immediately.
Sustained, genuine networking builds:
Visibility. You become a familiar face in rooms where decisions get made. Familiarity becomes trust. Trust becomes referrals.
Credibility. How you show up, what you talk about, how you respond to other people's challenges, all of it signals what kind of business you run. Networking is a live demonstration of your values.
Market intelligence. You learn things in networking rooms you won't find in any report. What's worrying people in your sector, where the market is moving, which businesses are growing. That context is genuinely useful.
Relationships that refer. The strongest pipelines I've seen built through networking weren't built by people selling. They were built by people who were helpful, consistent, and memorable over time. They became the person others thought of first.
Why this matters even more if you're hiring
The best candidates are rarely on a job board. They're already employed, not actively looking, and they move when someone they trust picks up the phone.
That person making the call on your behalf is almost always someone from your network. Someone who has seen how you operate, who trusts your judgment, who thinks well of your business. You can't manufacture that at short notice. It gets built over months and years of showing up properly.
And when those introductions do come in, you need a hiring process that reflects the quality of the referral. A warm introduction deserves a well-run interview experience, not a chaotic process that sends the candidate straight back to their current employer.
The practical upshot
Go to the events. Go consistently, not just when your pipeline looks thin. Talk to people with genuine curiosity rather than an agenda. Follow up where there's a real reason to. Don't expect immediate returns, but keep showing up.
The Big Business Breakfast Club is a good room. So is BNI, the Sevenoaks Chamber, and any number of local events where business owners are genuinely trying to build something.
The value is there. You just have to stop looking for it in the wrong place.
If you're growing your team and want to make sure your hiring process is as strong as the relationships you're building, that's exactly what BuildIn Talent is here for.
We embed into your business as a fractional talent acquisition partner, building the structure and process that means every great introduction converts into the right hire.
Get in touch at buildintalent.co.uk or drop us a message directly to talk through where you are with hiring.