A crucial component of sales is building and leveraging a personal network; however, not everyone is comfortable dealing with aggressive sales types. So, I came up with a different way of networking— a system based on referrals and patience. Earlier in my career, I was more focused on learning than networking. The bonus to focusing on educational events is that networking is usually a part of the mix.

When I attended an event, I would make a point of meeting at least one person I felt I could hang out with during the event. The goal was to have someone to talk to and with whom to share ideas and thoughts about the content, attendees, speakers, etc.

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