Got called out for my 'business card rain dance' at a Scottsdale mixer

I was at a networking event at the Scottsdale Quarter about two months ago, doing my usual thing of handing out my card to anyone who made eye contact. This older guy, Mark, who runs a print shop in Tempe, pulled me aside and said, 'Kid, you're throwing these out like confetti. I got three of yours in my pocket already. Talk to me for five minutes instead.' It hit me hard. I realized I was just collecting cards, not connections. So I changed my whole game. Now I go to events with a goal of having three real talks, not handing out thirty cards. I ask people about their biggest challenge right now. It's way slower, but I've actually gotten two solid referrals from it. Anyone else had to totally flip their networking style after some blunt feedback?

3 comments

3 Comments

piperwhite2mo ago

Maybe it's just me but quantity can sometimes win through sheer luck and repetition over quality.

ben2062mo agoMost Upvoted

Haha @piperwhite, guess that explains why my spam folder keeps growing instead of getting smarter!

rileyellis1mo ago

Did that blunt advice come from Mark specifically because he saw something in you, or was he just tired of catching your cards in his stack? I'm wondering how you tell the difference between someone who genuinely wants to help versus someone who just thinks you're annoying but gives vague feedback. Was there a particular question Mark asked you that made the five minute talk actually work?