November 9, 2009 - Make Networking Work for You

The first time I heard someone use the word "networking" to mean schmoozing, as a
techie I was almost insulted. The term "networking" brought back fond memories of
courses in my engineering program at university. I didn't appreciate those "suits"
hijacking my cherished term, but time has passed, grudges have faded and I've come to
an altered conclusion. I still think business networking is schmoozing, but I see the value
in it. There are also different kinds of networking events, so the value also depends on
where you choose to schmooze.

Networking really is a legitimate way of meeting potential customers, suppliers and
business partners. Although, if you're a techie who has never attended a networking
event, I would recommend some mental preparation.

When I first started attending these events, I was slightly embarrassed because it felt like
the business equivalent of a frat party. And my frat party experiences at MIT were
anything but fruitful. But after a few networking events, I became more comfortable and
realized we were all there with a sincere desire to meet new people. I went just to meet
other people. But then I realized that everyone else was there for the exact same reason.

Networking is an art and it can take place in different types of venues. The least scary
type is the networking event organized by unbiased parties. The Ottawa Centre for
Research and Innovation (OCRI), for example, is an unbiased organization whose
purpose is to promote business leadership and entrepreneurship in the Ottawa area. You
can attend their events with the comfort that you'll probably learn something useful, and
incidentally meet a variety of other local business-minded people in the process. OCRI
has monthly technology executive breakfasts with some interesting speakers who are
often well-known names in the technology community.

Sometimes you'll stumble across events run by associations. Last fall, I went to one in
Seattle, hosted by Pacific Maritime Magazine, a publication specializing in a specific
industry segment. A majority of the exhibitors were competitors, but that type of situation
doesn't have to be awkward. We all displayed our products and services to the attendees.
This type of situation creates the perfect conditions to meet new business partners. Other
companies may be doing the same stuff as you or might want to expand certain products
with your help. What a great opportunity to form business partnerships or alliances. Tech
companies can form fruitful alliances too. So don't view events where your competitors
will be as necessarily hostile venues.

Often, you will hear about networking events hosted by a company for their customers.
These events draw you there to learn about a wide range of that company's products. One
major semiconductor company hosts an annual pilgrimage to Texas. Each year they fly
many of their best clients from around the world to a weekend of free food and
interesting events. Small-fry clients like us also fly down to this event to hear about the
new products offered by this world-class company. And the event has a second benefit
for me in that many of my own customers also attend this event. It's a bit ironic because
it's quite hard to reach these clients when they're in their own offices right here in Ottawa.
But when you're in Texas, at a top-notch restaurant, with a bunch of techies all wearing
cowboy hats watching people fall off a mechanical bull, it's amazing how much your
clients will open up and talk to you.

Here are a few other types of events to consider. First, there is the annual trade show.
Every city seems to have one. The monster Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, for
example, last year drew more than 130,000 attendees from 110 countries. You can
literally spend days browsing through the displays and information tables. A similar
event, Gitex, takes place every year in Dubai.

Last, but certainly not least, is the kind of the business networking event hosted by
government. I attended one in Toronto last year called the Wisdom Exchange. It was so
useful to business types like myself that the Ministry of Small Business and
Entrepreneurship is hosting a Wisdom Exchange right here in Ottawa this coming May.
You can find out more about this event by "googling" the phrase "Wisdom Exchange
Ottawa."

There are a slew of networking dos and don'ts. It's probably worth mentioning a few
before we get too far. When you attend an event and run into potential customers, be
subtle. You never want to openly solicit a "client" at events. It's so tacky. Remember, it's
a bit of an art form. Another tip: if you're at an event hosted by a particular supplier,
avoid talking about their competitors to other attendees (but maybe this is obvious). If
you still don't feel comfortable with vacuous schmoozing, consider actually buying some
of the products presented at the event. This will also increase your chances of being
invited in the future. Now go forth and schmooze.

Michael Wakim is the founder and CEO of Fidus Systems, an Ottawa-based electronic
product development company. Fidus develops electronic products for a wide range of
industries including aerospace, defence, consumer, medical, industrial, semiconductors
and telecommunications. If Michael's articles interest you, consider learning more about
Fidus at www.fidus.com