Today I attended the “Business Building After Hours” hosted by the Toronto Board of Trade at the WEGZ wine bar. I met several very interesting individuals – ranging from an integrated marketing specialist, to a virtual assistant, a payment-processing provider. The attendees came from all walks of life.
Most individuals who attend networking events are looking for potential customers; some are more aggressive than others. However, I attend these events simply to meet new people and establish casual contacts.
I once took a course in Organizational Behaviour. Apparently, one’s “social capital” (the value of your total social contacts, both professional and personal) depends on the number of “weak links” (casual contacts) one has, and not the number of “strong links” (close contacts).
Therefore, networking events are incredible opportunities to bolster your social capital. I collect people’s business cards and file them; you never know if you or someone close to you would one day need an integrated marketing specialist, or a virtual assistant, or a payment processor.
