OK, you've been networking for a while now. Things are going pretty well. You've made some nice connections and you're completely comfortable walking up to someone and starting a conversation. Despite it all, though, something feels a bit off. You aren't excited or nervous anymore about going to the next Chamber event. What's wrong?

In a phrase: You're bored.

Even a roller coaster can get dull if you ride the same one all day, every day. What good networkers do to fight this is to inject a little creativity into the process of networking. If you think you might be in a networking rut, use some imagination to push yourself out of your comfort zone. While you are coming up with your own ideas, you might try a few of these to "prime the pump":

1. Try out a new group. Whether you normally attend your local Chamber of Commerce events, or a strong networking group like BNI, or even your monthly association meeting, you are likely seeing the same people over and over again. Take a look around. Check out the Chamber in neighboring towns. Perhaps your group has other chapters nearby which you are allowed to attend. Check out the organizations which your customers attend regularly. You don't have to join the group (though it might be to your advantage to consider it), but just being aware of what is available makes you a good resource when others are considering branching out. If nothing else attending a new group's meetings will remind you of what it's like to be the newbie who knows no one else in the room.

2. Try out a new time. Different times of day tend to attract different people. Do you tend to go to breakfast meetings? Try an after-hours event instead. Like to do your meetings over lunch? Try a mid-morning coffee. Just be prepared for a different "vibe." Later in the day, people tend to get more relaxed and focus more on the social aspect of networking. First thing in the morning tends to be more business-focused, but don't get between the person who just walked in the door and their first cup of coffee!

3. Change your introduction. Whether you call it a pitch, a thirty-second commercial, or your elevator speech, try to come up with a new story to tell. Try to have different introductions depending on with whom you are speaking. With a prospect, you might have to leave out some of your technical jargon whereas with a colleague you can often (but not always) make use of the verbal shorthand which can make conversation much more efficient. No matter to whom you are talking, though, try for something new (for them), emotion-based, and memorable.

4. Change your name. Have some fun. Add a second nametag with something which isn't your name, your company name, or your company's normal tagline. Your aim here should be "quirky," not "scary." Try to come up with a short phrase which will make them want to ask you what it means. For example, if you are at an early morning breakfast meeting and you slap on a tag with the word "Sleepy," I can guarantee you will get many grins and can easily start up a conversation with a new acquaintance about other early morning meetings they've attended.

5. Sit in a different part of the room. Do you usually hide in the back? Try sitting in the front row. Your tablemates will likely be long-time attendees and will likely know almost everyone there. You are also much more likely to be able to chat with the speakers (assuming it is that kind of event). Do you prefer to sit in the center? Try moving to the outside. You're likely to run into a lot more new people out there - people who will be tremendously grateful that you helped them feel comfortable in a strange place.

6. Change your goals. Of course you set your goals for every event which you might attend. If, however, your goal is always "to meet five new prospects," you might want to try stepping up to the next level of networking. Try changing it to "connect four other people with each other" or "make five good introductions." These goals are the signs that you realize that true success in networking is about what you can do for other people, not necessarily what they can do for you.

Just as you continually have to update your knowledge and skills in your business, the same is true for your networking practice. Adding a new technique or a new group to your networking repertoire can not only make your efforts more profitable, but might make the whole process a lot more fun, too!

Copyright 2007, Greg Peters, All rights reserved.