The Most Valuable Person in the Room Might Never Become Your Client

by Ron Gibson - Go Networking

When you walk into a networking event, it’s easy to fall into the trap of sizing people up.

“Could this person become my client?”

If the answer appears to be no, many people politely end the conversation and move on in search of someone who looks more promising.

That’s a mistake.

One of the biggest mindset shifts you can make is this: don’t judge the value of a conversation by whether the person is a potential client. Judge it by whether they’re someone worth knowing.

The jeweller, the photographer, the person from the not-for-profit, the software designer, the builder, the café owner, the accountant, the financial planner, the lawyer or the IT consultant may never become your client. But that’s not the point.

What matters isn’t just who they are. It’s who they know and can introduce you to.

Every person you meet has a network of their own. They have clients, colleagues, suppliers, friends and family. They have people who trust their recommendations. While they may never need what you offer, they may know someone who does.

Some of the best referrals I’ve ever received have come from people who were never going to buy my services themselves. If I’d dismissed them because they weren’t a prospective client, those introductions would never have happened.

You simply can’t predict where a relationship will lead. The person you chat with over a coffee today could introduce you to your biggest client six months from now. They might recommend you to a business owner, invite you to speak at an event, or connect you with someone who opens the door to an opportunity you never saw coming.

That’s why I try not to make those decisions too early. Instead of asking, “Can this person buy from me?”, ask yourself a far better question: “Is this someone worth knowing?

When you approach networking this way, something else changes too. You become more curious. You ask better questions. You listen more carefully. The conversation becomes about understanding the other person rather than qualifying them as quickly as possible.

Ironically, that’s when people are far more likely to remember you.

Networking isn’t about collecting prospects. It’s about building a community of people who know you, trust you and are willing to open doors for you.

Because the real value of the person standing in front of you isn’t always whether they’ll become your client.

It’s who they know and can introduce you to. So, the next time you’re at a networking event, resist the urge to decide within the first minute whether someone is “worth your time.”

Instead, ask yourself:

“Is this someone worth knowing?”

Because the most valuable person in the room might never become your client, but they might introduce you to the person who does.