I was reading an article that was arguing against networking and in favor of building friendships. I believe the writer of the article does not completely understand the purpose of networking.
The author is not alone, in the past I have been apart of networking groups. In one group we had a person joined and quit after a quarter because she did not get enough referrals in her mind to make it worth her time. I also believe she gave no referrals either.
In my mind, she was not there long enough for anyone to truly know what her group did. I guess she was under the impression that our clients wait to fulfill their needs until we have a referral to hand out…
Networking is the place to start cultivating those business relationships that can grow into friendships that can become referrals. No one is going to refer you after meeting you once. Not unless it is a commodity that they are known to be looking for.
As a CPA I know that people need to get to know me before they can feel comfortable enough to refer me to their clients. Just as I am protective of my clients and who I refer to them, I have to know that their needs will be address in a manner that I would approve of.
Alas from the tone of the article I do not believe the author understood this to be the process of networking.