As a small business growth coach, I find myself at networking meetings 2-3 times a week. These are some of the things I wish for in my head for someone to sometimes say…
1. Excuse me, you have something black in your teeth
This one killed me as I got into my car one night after a networking event with 60 men and women and spotted myself in the mirror. I do regular washroom visits to check now but come on—couldn’t one person have taken pity and told me?
2. I’m not really into what you do
Sometimes when there’s no match, there’s no match. The person you meet doesn’t need your services. I wish they would just be straight and try to help with something else you need instead, like if you’re looking for a VA or to buy some IT consulting or a husband.
3. My biz is in big trouble and I don’t have a clue what to do
At times I’ve felt that people are in deep marketing pain and they need me desperately as a branding coach but are not willing to ask what it takes to get my help.  I’ve even had people pump me for brainstorming ideas for marketing their business while I’m struggling with peeling a shrimp with my teeth, but it doesn’t faze them.  I’d much rather you came clean and set up an appointment to talk about hiring me instead.
So if the next time you see me at a networking event and the above thoughts are crossing through your head, I give you full permission to say it to my face.
Need more chicken soup for your biz? Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook or connect with me on LinkedIn –and let’s talk!

Related articles

• New Study From LinkedIn Shows How User Mindset Affects Social Media Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC] (hubspot.com)
• How I Got Over My Hatred of Networking (forbes.com)
• LinkedIn: 3 resolutions you should make (cbsnews.com)