Is there such a thing as too much networking?  I wonder if other business owners struggle with the same concern I have: “ If I’m not out there, the phone won’t ring!”  Whether this statement is true or not, I’ll never know because I’m not brave enough to test the theory.

I target market, and  target network, yet still feel sometimes I’m doing too much.  When that feeling occurs, I generally slow down my networking efforts a bit or I re-evaluate my expectations about what I hope to gain from attending the event.  I usually enjoy the events that I attend, but find there is often a tension between meeting enough new people to feel it was worth attending, and spending time with those I already know, strengthening the relationship.    It’s not a numbers game for me, but a quality issue.  The quality of the relationships, new and existing, are critical in my mind.    

Often I get multiple invitations to events on the same day, at or near the same time.  There are so many competing interests in our personal and professional lives, that sometimes we need to unplug and just say “no!” 

Other times I may attend 3 events in one day or two to three events a week.  There’s certainly no shortage of events to attend.  The key is finding value in those events you do participate in.  If you host events, you want to be focused on providing value.

What makes an event worth attending in your mind?

Is it the number of people who attend?

Do any of these factors weigh into your decision to attend a networking event?

•Dynamic or well known Speaker

•Educational topic/current issue of interest

•Who will be there?

•The venue

•The Food/Beverage choices

•The time of day or evening

•Cost to attend

I’d love to hear about your networking experiences and philosophies.

What works?

What doesn’t work?

Are you doing more or less networking than you did a year ago, and if so, why?