What a pleasure to have some space in Inside Tucson Business again. As the business periodical of the region, ITB seems to capture the essence of all of our hopes and dreams and frustrations and disappointments, so as independent business folks we don’t have to always feel that we are out here alone. The weekly review of the local business news is something we have come to anticipate as well as the op / ed pieces and features.

But often reading is just not enough contact with other like minded individuals and this is where networking comes into play. We have all heard that Tucson is a face to face town, that people do business with people they know, like and trust, and similar adages.

Networking comes in many forms. We are familiar with networking events, business leads clubs and are embracing “social networking.”  What is the idea of networking about, really?

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Is it gathering with other business people to exchange cards, not having any interest in them as individuals, setting up a distribution list and asking for business by email? I think we can agree this is NOT networking. Is it going to a business leads club weekly or so and listening to the same “pitches” week in and week out in hopes that a “fish will swallow your bait?” Not for my money.

Networking is the opportunity to create a bond with another person who will become confident enough in your abilities to refer business your way. That confidence is never created in “gang gatherings”. The confidence needed is gained only through individual personal contact. Loosely translated, the gatherings are only the first half-step in the process. Being interested enough in another individual or their product or service is the first step to having a new referral source in your corner. 

If you have the occasion to meet someone new and can successfully and genuinely ask for a coffee or lunch date to know them better, you have conquered the biggest challenge of networking. The one on one, face to face, mano a mano meeting, allowing yourself to be genuinely interested in that other person is the trick. You will be amazed how when you genuinely show interest in the other person, how interesting you become to them. This is not  unlike the one sided conversation where the talker leaves seeming pleased with having met such a “good conversationalist” in the listener. 

Networking has deservedly gained itself a bad reputation. Meeting with masses of folks to “shake and take” business cards has become my worst nightmare. In many of these mass gatherings should you express any interest in the other person, their product or service they become “sales pitbulls,” grabbing and never releasing. As a business owner with payables and receivables, payroll and inventory, rent and business loans, I was amazed at one such networking gathering I agreed to attend where streams of folks approached and shoved a card in my face. They gave me their “30 second elevator speech” without my even asking and moved on to the next potential stooge for their multilevel scheme. One person in attendance was wearing cafeteria worker gloves (loose fitting plastic ones) as protection from germs.

For my money any group I am involved with needs to have some “like-minded-ness.” My rotary club serves to make the world a better place, a men’s group I’m involved with raises money for a hospital. I belong to a group of financial executives and affiliates who hold that common bond and my SOIEG (Sphere of Influence Expansion Group) enjoys cocktails and sharing drink recipes while making certain and keeping track of the members’ one on one meetings.

“Eastside Cheers, where everybody knows your business” is a business leads club but we are careful not to take ourselves too seriously. We strive to enjoy our twice monthly gatherings and pride ourselves on having taken time to get to know our fellow club mates while being “interesting conversationalists” as well.

We have all had a positive experience doing business with friends. Need more business?

Make more friends!

Charlie O’Dowd is president of Westcap Energy Corporation and vice president of “Eastside Cheers.” He can be reached at charlie@charlieodowd.com.