Networking 101 - Remember to say Thank You

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 138

Remember to say Thank You

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. November   2009

Ralph Marston says “What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank-you for it, would you be likely to give them another?  Life is the same way.  In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you are already have.”

What makes you think that Networking is any different?  One of the issues around Networking and one of the reasons people don’t believe that it actually does work is the fact that people don’t say thank you or that they don’t appreciate or even respect the referral that they have been given and also that very often people don’t reciprocate.

A couple of months ago, I was at a Networking event that was attached to a huge exhibition.  Walking around the different exhibits, I came across two individuals who I had introduced to each other about three years before, working together at one of the stalls.  I saw synergy between them that they clearly did not see at the time and they have since formed a JV (Joint Venture) that is obviously working very well.

Here’s the thing though – after I introduced them to each other, I have never heard from them again.  In fact, I didn’t even recognise them, they both called out to me as I passed by.  They are still in my database, they still get my ‘newsletters’ and invitations to the workshops that I run (so they know where and how to contact me) – but at no time did they ever feel the need to call me and tell me that they had formed the JV or to thank me for the referral.  From what they told me, they have made loads of money from the relationship and yet no-one has even thought about me – the person that started the whole thing off.

Now quite honestly, whilst I am pleased that they eventually saw (and acted on) the synergies between themselves (that just proves to me once again that Networking does work) I am also quite miffed at the lack of respect that they have shown me.  What they have shown me without a doubt too though, is that they are incredibly ungrateful.  It will be their own loss though at the end of the day, because each and every time, going forward, that I have a possible connection or link for them and to them, I will certainly think twice about referring it.  The connection or referral will go to others in my data base who have shown me respect, who have thanked me and who are obviously grateful about what I have passed onto them.

So think carefully about how you were brought up – I was always taught to say ‘thank-you’ and even if nothing comes of an introduction or referral that has been passed onto me, I always make contact and thank the person who connected me.  The Universe is a really wonderful place, with many opportunities and you have no idea where the next great/big/enormous one is going to come from, so be thankful, be respectful and always be grateful.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za