It’s been more than 2 weeks since I’ve started on my networking path. Like anything that is done, it’s hard stuff, but very rewarding once you start getting a bite. So far, no bite. (Note: This was last week with no bites, this week is a different story.)

I was going to introduce this one method of being, for the most part, lazy and getting all the people I wanted in my network that I wanted to help, but have come up with a problem. The problem is that the other person has to be willing. If I’m happy and thrilled to know this person on more of a business and personal level, it don’t matter if the other person doesn’t. Everyone is busy and for whatever reason, you just don’t know what it is they may be going through. (Again, this was last week the outcome and is very true. With this method you just don’t know who is interested in helping you and you in them. But the great thing about this process is that most contacts will let you know in a week at the longest if they are interested.)

So, Now What? Are You Abandoning the Networking Case Study?

No I’m not. Again, it’s frustrating that things aren’t going my way. However, I’ve tried to network the way everyone else has said to do. So, I am going to do something extremely interesting, which is do two different types of networking experiments.

It was over a week ago when I was talking to my wife about my angst with the networking. She mentioned that although my approach and emails have been genuine, I am still prospecting and the other person isn’t returning the favor by replying to my email. So, I would have to really just get in people’s faces, I just have to put myself out there. Then she mentioned that I have to be a part of an organization that I truly love and wouldn’t mind spending time with. She said that I could sponsor an event to the scale of photographing something or even just footing the bill for an event.

When she said that, I was thrilled and knew that was what I needed to do and that would help me out the most.

So, Here is the New Networking Case Study Challenge

-I will be working on sending 10 specifically written emails to people I truly want to help grow their business. That is it. Nothing will be done on the basis of getting business from these folks.

-I will brainstorm an organization that I would love to be a part of. I will think about how that organization will benefit me, them and how I can give back.

My thinking Keeps Changing

Last week I was frustrated, but I kept with the program. I continued to send out emails and researched the people who I wanted to get to know, even with the slim possibility of not ever getting a reply back from them. Ironically speaking, that was the part that I enjoyed the most. The crafting of the email to be more focused towards them wasn’t hard, but learning about people in my backyard who were doing things for themselves and family was a cool thing.

The second thing also that I’m liking about this process is that it is more natural to me, even though, as a friend has already mentioned, I’m cold calling.

The Rest of the Month is Going to Be…

Fun and loose. I believe I have an organization that I want to be a part of. I’ll spend a day or so on researching them. The next step is to call and then go into their office to gather more information. I always like to just meet them in their face surprisingly because they have no reason but to help me. Again, this will be interesting and will more than likely hold off the actual visitation until sometime next month.

Secondly, I have made some progress in my first networking experiment. The next post will be more about what I think and how I plan to change it up in the times to come.