It’s no secret that networking has long been used for professional growth, but not all networking attempts are equal. From finding job opportunities to making business deals and forming strategic partnerships, networking can be hugely beneficial. But, in recent years, the traditional approach to networking – which includes things like attending conferences, swapping business cards and meeting as many people as possible – has started to fall short. Despite the time, money and energy invested into traditional networking, many professionals walk away disappointed. No strategic introductions have been made, no business development has happened and there’s no return on relationships formed.
This is because traditional networking lacks intention. Whereas curated networking focuses on intentionally connecting you with the right people in exclusive communities and offers higher ROI, traditional networking is more random, with less chance of success.
The Problem with Traditional Networking
- The Conversations Go Nowhere – With dozens of people to meet at a networking event, interactions tend to be transactional and surface-level. They’re quick and brief, with very little to offer. You might hand out business cards, make promises that you’re unlikely to keep, fail to follow up in the future, and leave without making any meaningful progress.
- You Meet the Wrong People – When you attend a networking event expecting to meet potential partners and investors, traditional networking can be disappointing. There’s a high chance that you’ll meet the wrong people, spending your time making small talk with people from industries that aren’t relevant to you, or connecting with people who have very different goals to you.
- There’s No Context or Alignment – There are a lot of business owners, investors, stakeholders and clients out there, but traditional networking doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll meet the right people for you. There’s rarely any context when you’re networking traditionally, meaning that authentic, valuable relationships are hard to find. You don’t know why others are attending, what they need or how you can support you. There’s no guarantee that you’re spending your time wisely.
- You Waste Time and Resources – There’s no guarantee of return on relationships, meaning that you could end up wasting time and resources with traditional networking. Once you factor travel, tickets, preparation and following up into things, networking without getting anything in return is disappointing and costly.
What is Curated Networking?
Curated connection happens in environments where introductions are intentional, purposeful and hand-picked based on mutual goals, industry relevance and strategic fit. It centres on strategic introductions within exclusive communities – such as The Directors Box – and guiding you towards people who want what you offer and offer what you want.
- Alignment From the Start – With curated networking, business development opportunities are aligned from the very beginning. You can go into a curated networking event knowing that the people you’re engaging with share your goals. Whether it’s scaling a startup, investing in companies, or navigating executive leadership, everyone is aligned around a common purpose. This shared context eliminates small talk and encourages instant rapport, providing return on relationships.
- Faster Trust and Better Outcomes – When introductions are made by a trusted third party or within a vetted business community, they come with a layer of trust and credibility. This shortens the typical trust building cycle and accelerates outcomes, whether that’s a business deal, investment, or new hire. You can connect with others, knowing that they’re a genuine, authentic and strategic introduction worth making. You don’t need to worry about whether you can trust someone or if they’ll drag their feet moving forward, as they’re there for the same reason as you.
- Quality, Not Quality – It’s tempting to network with as many people as possible, but that’s unlikely to pay off. In fact, the majority of people you network with are likely to be useless to you as a business leader. You don’t need dozens of new contacts, made up of random people you then have to follow up with. In curated networking communities, you get fewer connections, but far more relevant, introductions. These are people you’re more likely to follow up with, collaborate with or form long-term relationships with. It’s all about quality, not quantity.
- Measurable ROI – Unlike traditional networking, curated networking often leads to trackable outcomes. You can attribute new clients, deals or partnerships directly to a single introduction, making it easier to measure the ROI and justify the investment. You can come away from curated networking knowing exactly how beneficial it was. It’s easy to link business development and success to the connections you made at a curated networking event.
If you ask us, the world doesn’t need more networking, it needs curated networking. There’s no shortage of networking opportunities out there, but a very small percentage of the traditional avenues actually lead to anything. But, with curated networking, every introduction has the potential to have an impact on your business’s success. If your goal is to move your business forward quickly, smartly, and with the right people around you, then curated connection is a better business strategy. You don’t need to attend random networking events with the plan to show up, mingle, and hope for the best. You can attend curated networking events, knowing that your time, energy, and resources are being put to good use.
At The Directors Box, we create curated networking spaces where every connection is intentional, relevant and impactful. Get in touch to find out more.
