By: Eric Althoff
As we’ve learned, Find A Rainmaker (FAR) is a tool that sorts through dozens of individual traits and distills them down into the essence of certain behavioral “types.” Understanding this can be extremely helpful in the business world—especially if you’re in the market for that unique individual who seems to be the life of any room they walk into. We call this person the “Notable Networker.”
The Notable Networker isn’t afraid to attend conferences, strike up conversations with complete strangers on the subway, and likely returns from vacation with 25 new Facebook friends—and invitations to each of their upcoming birthday parties…likely their kids’ birthdays too. What is especially important about the Network Networker is that this person doesn’t fake it; their interest in you is genuine, and the smile they greet you with upon a second, third, or 26th meeting is likely attended by sincere questions about you and your family’s well-being.
In addition to being a social butterfly at any gathering, the Notable Networker is an asset for your business. Here’s why:
A Notable Networker remembers just about everyone
A guy I once worked with in Hollywood told me that years after meeting George H.W. Bush in passing, not only did the 41st president recall my friend’s name during a second encounter but also vivid details about his life and history—which may not be surprising considering that the president’s prior resume included a stint as director of the CIA. And while Bush Sr. may have been known for being a tad socially awkward, this gift for memory and specificity in terms of recall unquestionably made him a Notable Networker—a rather common trait in politics, where relationship building is usually more important than policy wonkiness.
But you don’t have to be a current or former president to be a Notable Networker—though it undoubtedly helps. This person rarely keeps notes but still remembers not only the names of people but quite often the names of their spouses, employers, children, and hobbies. This is why the Notable Networker is an asset to any organization. They may not be tenacious at closing the deal like a Constant Closer, but it’s a guarantee they know one—and will happily introduce you.
The Notable Networker not only fosters relationships but nurtures them
Meeting people is hard; remembering them is even more difficult; keeping up with all of them…now that’s a talent. The Notable Networker will generate 100 new leads at a conference. And even if they don’t do business with someone, they’ll still get the Networker’s holiday card, a text just to say hi, and perhaps a random token in the mail that made the Networker think of you. My friend Chuck does this, sending me the occasional present just because, and I know he also does this for dozens—if not hundreds—of other people too.
Sound tiring? Not for our Notable Networker!
We’re not all wired this way. Social anxiety and shyness are real, but they can be overcome with the right coaching and training. Some Networkers are born but, as with any skill, networking ability can also be practiced until it becomes second nature. Find A Rainmaker helps identify behavioral traits that identify some of the skills that make Notable Networkers the social animals—or, in business parlance, the “go-getters”—that they are. Schedule a demo today to learn more.