Hunting vs Farming

The photo at the top of the page was taken at our Hollywood networking group during our second meeting.

In a business referral group we sometimes speak about the difference between hunting and farming. If we think about a hunter and what a hunter does; a hunter goes out looking for food for today. A farmer on the other hand tends a farm and over time that farm will produce a lot more food than what a person may find by hunting. When we attend an individual networking event, we don’t get time to know the people we meet and we are networking as hunters. When we join a business referral group and return each week then we get a chance to get to know the others. By returning each week we are working more like farmers.

By returning to the same networking events week after week as part of a networking group friendships and strategic alliances are formed. Over time we discover common interests with others in the group such as hobbies or sports we may mutually enjoy. People become friends after having met in business referral groups and sometimes marriages will even take place after meeting in a group for business purposes. It is only natural that we would want to refer our best clients to others in the group that we know, like and trust. Once we give a referral to a member of our networking group then that person will want to help us too. This is a natural process known as the “law of reciprocity” and it simply means that when you help someone, they want to help you. The person that received the referral may feel a little bit of an obligation to help the person that gave the referral or they may simply keep the giver of the referral top of mind. Either way, it is true that those that give more, get more.

This is why running from one networking event to the next, or hunting, produces limited results. On any given day a person isn’t likely to just happen to need what you are selling. Also, when they have only just met you at a networking event they certainly won’t recommend you to their clients. When we are networking like farmers and cultivating relationships with other business professionals then we get referred to the clients of the other members of the group.