I just read this post entitled “Concise Introduction for Networking” in which Patrick Carney shares some of Dr. Ivan Misner’s wisdom.
Here’s my problem. Done in this manner, we spend 30-60 seconds reminding ourself what to say, 30-60 seconds saying it, and 30-60 seconds wondering if we did it right and we totally miss the other person’s intro. I’m reminded of this post of mine. If you are a marketer, you might be OK with getting your message out and the heck with the other guy. But, if you are actually looking to SELL something someday, wouldn’t it behoove you to find something out about the person that you’re meeting to learn if they are a prospect, a potential center of influence, a competitor, or what.
If you believe that networking is part of your marketing program, go for it. But if you think networking is part of your prospecting program, you should stop telling and start selling and you sell with your ears, not your lips.
No call to action. Just do what works for you.
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RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars 
Going against Godin is one thing. But against Ivan? Jeez Rick. 🙂 I am a disciple of Rick. And have already learned this lesson from you. Thought I’d share my experience w/ others. What Ivan suggests is good if you want to deliver commercials one by one. But, I’d rather buy a spot on TV. I rarely meet someone for the first time, tell them what I do, and then get a referral from them. Among BNIers (Ivan’s disciples), it happens sometimes. But, in the real world, it doesn’t. As you taught me, I’d rather ask a question and demonstrate my interest in them, before talking about myself and what I do. At a networking event, I am just trying to create interest in me. If someone else is talking about me and how I great I am, that’s good. But, me telling someone else how awesome I am hasn’t ever helped me.
Grasshopper, (How’s it feel?)I didn’t want to appear to be “going against Ivan”, nor BNI, nor the BNI way. Respectfully, BNI serves a very legitimate purpose. They get many people started. Most people don’t know what a referral is before they get involved with BNI. Most people don’t know what Emerson’s Law is until they get involved with BNI. Many franchisors suggest that new franchisees get involved with BNI. It saves the franchisor the effort of teaching what BNI will teach. But BNI doesn’t teach their members how to sell. It’s not their mission and it’s totally OK. (Not that Ivan or Patty need my permission for anything.) As an aside, I remember talking to a guy, several years ago, who was the national sales manager of a company like Kimberly Clark or Procter & Gamble. He didn’t know that people went to chamber of commerce meetings to do business. How’s that for a different world?I learned about leads, referrals, introductions, endorsements, Emerson’s Law, selling, and a whole bunch else at the same place. The only point that I really wanted to make in my post was that it is very difficult to be memorable when you’re one of thirty doing a 60 second at your weekly meeting, but you MUST. It’s impossible to be memorable when you’re one of three hundred at a wine tasting (Congratulations! Again!), but seriously, how many commercials do you remember from that night? Do you remember Mr. Sunshine? And how hard is it gonna be to have 1,000 people at the you know what tell their commercials to each other in TWO HOURS? It’s never gonna happen. Those that know how to sell will do well. Others may not do as well.