Don't Be Fooled, You Are Networking

Everyone knows that networking is great to meet people.

But the reverse is also true, any place where you meet new people is a good networking place. The most common examples of this is school, volunteer work, sports or clubs, and line-ups.

Schools
People go to school for a course or an entire program because they are interested in a topic. This means that everyone in your class has something in common and you automatically have a connection. It is no surprise that a large component of an individual's business contacts come from school. In fact, the higher the education, the tighter the business connections normally are. I once heard a guest speaker say something I now try to live by: 'live like you'll die tomorrow, but learn like you'll live forever'.

Volunteering
Volunteer work has the advantage of making you feel wonderful about the work you're doing at the same time as meeting great people who feel the same way. It is a very positive environment to meet someone in. This is a huge opportunity and I've heard of many business deals starting due to someone's involvement in volunteer work.

Sports & Clubs
Playing sports and joining clubs shows your fun side . Meeting someone in this setting (especially during a social event after the game or club meeting) is all about building the relationship. If later you learn that you have complementary business offerings, all the better.

Line-ups
Canadians are great at this - lining up! We may as well take this wasted time and take advantage of it. There is no harm done in starting a conversation with you neighbour. What's the worst thing that could happen? You don't get new business. What's the best? You get your biggest client. Based on this logic, it only makes sense to use this time more wisely at coffee shops, airports, and wherever else you find yourself waiting.

So next time you do one of these untraditional networking activities, bring your business card!