Meeting Tips
Radzivon Alkhovik
Feb 2, 2026
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Updated on
Feb 2, 2026
An entrepreneur sends 100 cold emails to investors. Zero responses. His partner mentions the project over coffee with an acquaintance who turns out to be an investor. A week later, a meeting. A month later, an investment. One connection worked more effectively than a hundred cold touches.
Most significant opportunities don't come through formal channels. Jobs are found through referrals, clients are brought by partners, projects come from acquaintances. But when people hear "networking," many imagine insincere socializing at events with the goal of "using people." That's not networking — that's its caricature.
The mymeet.ai team works with professionals who have built networks of quality connections not through manipulation, but through genuine interest in people and creating mutual value.
What Is Networking and Why You Need It
Networking is surrounded by myths and misconceptions. Some see it as salvation from all problems, others consider it insincere manipulation.
Definition of Networking
Networking is the process of building and maintaining professional relationships based on mutual interest and creating value for each other.
It's not about collecting business cards. Not about adding 500 people on LinkedIn without real interaction. Not about asking for help from people you barely know. It's about relationships where both parties get value — information, opportunities, support, insights.
Good networking looks like friendship with a professional context. You're genuinely interested in the person, their projects, their challenges. You help when you can. When you need help, the person responds not out of obligation, but because they want to.
The Real Value of Professional Connections
Most opportunities come through connections. Positions are often filled through referrals before being posted. Clients are more willing to work with those recommended by someone they know. Investors more often look at projects from trusted contacts.
Connections provide information earlier than public sources. You learn about industry problems from those experiencing them. About new technologies from those implementing them. About market changes from insiders.
A network of connections is insurance against instability. Lost your job — connections suggest opportunities. Need advice — there's someone to turn to. Looking for a project partner — your network surely has the right person.
Types of Networking — Where and How to Meet People
Networking happens everywhere — at events, online, through mutual acquaintances. Different channels produce different results.
Offline Networking
Conferences and professional events are the classic networking format. People come specifically to meet others; the barrier to starting a conversation is low.
The problem with large conferences is superficiality. 5 minutes of conversation during a break, exchanging contacts — rarely turns into relationships. Thematic sessions and workshops work better, where you interact with people for several hours.
Meetups and professional communities are more effective than conferences. Regular meetings of the same circle of people allow transitioning from superficial acquaintances to relationships. See someone for the third time — no need to introduce yourself again.
Informal meetings work better than formal events. One-on-one coffee provides more than an hour in a crowd at a conference. You can deeply discuss interests, find intersection points, and understand if there's a foundation for a relationship.
Online Networking
LinkedIn remains the main professional networking platform. But adding friends with a template message doesn't create relationships. What works is commenting on someone's posts, sending a personalized connection request with context.
Professional Telegram chats and communities in Russia are often more effective than LinkedIn. People help each other with advice, share experience, and meet. Active participation in discussions attracts attention from interesting people.
Virtual events have become the norm. Webinars, online conferences, and virtual meetups provide opportunities to connect regardless of geography. Connection quality may be lower than offline, but accessibility compensates.
Networking Through Existing Connections
Warm introductions — connections through mutual acquaintances — are the most effective channel. Trust transfers transitively. If you were introduced by someone who's trusted, there's initial trust in you.
Ask acquaintances to introduce you to needed people when there's a specific reason for the introduction. "Introduce me to all your contacts" doesn't work. "You mentioned knowing a retail sales director — I'd be interested to learn about their approach to automation" works.
Be a connector for others. If you see two acquaintances who would benefit from knowing each other — introduce them. This creates value for both and strengthens your position in the network.
How to Start a Conversation and Establish Contact
The first minutes of meeting determine whether a chance encounter will grow into a useful connection.
Preparing for a Meeting
Research the person before meeting if possible. LinkedIn profile, articles, social media posts provide context. Not to impress with knowledge of details, but to understand interests and find intersection points.
Formulate your goal for the meeting. Want to learn about their approach to a task? Interested in the industry they work in? Is there potential for collaboration? Clear understanding of the goal helps guide the conversation meaningfully.
Opening Phrases That Work
At events, avoid clichés like "What do you do?" The question is too general, and often leads to a formal answer. Better are contextual questions — "What brought you to this event?", "Which session seemed interesting?"
Find common ground in the first minutes. Both at this conference, both in this chat, both know Peter. Common ground creates a basis for conversation.
Show genuine interest in the person's projects. Not a formal "interesting, tell me," but specific questions. "How did you solve problem X?" "What was the hardest part of the project?"
Active Listening in Networking
Listen to understand, not to respond. Most people at networking events listen, waiting for a pause to talk about themselves. You'll stand out if you actually hear the person.
Ask clarifying questions about what the speaker shared. This shows attention and deepens the conversation. "How did you come to that?" "What happened before?" "What difficulties did you encounter?"
How to Be Memorable
Be specific when talking about yourself. Not "I work in marketing," but "I help B2B companies attract clients through content." Specifics are memorable.
Share interesting insights or stories, not just facts. "We recently discovered that..." is more memorable than listing product features.
Offer specific value in the first conversation. A useful article on the topic discussed, an introduction to someone who can help, specific advice. Value creates an impression.
Rules of Effective Networking
A sustainable network of connections is built on several principles that distinguish real networking from its imitation.
Give Before You Ask
Start relationships with help, not requests. Meet someone — think about how you can be useful. Send a relevant article, introduce them to the right person, share an insight.
Giving doesn't mean sacrificing. Sharing useful information takes 5 minutes but creates a foundation of trust. When you need help, the person remembers you helped first.
The rule of three touches — create value three times before asking for help. This ensures relationship balance.
Genuine Interest in the Person
Formal networking is immediately visible. The person asks questions but doesn't listen to answers. Smiles but eyes scan the room for more important contacts. Exchanged business cards — never crossed paths again.
Sincerity can't be faked for long. Either you're genuinely interested in the person and their work, or you're not. If not — don't waste each other's time. Better to have 10 sincere contacts than 100 formal ones.
Specificity in Requests and Offers
"Maybe I can help sometime" after meeting means nothing. A specific offer means something. "If you have a question about sales automation, reach out — we have experience" is specific and clear.
When asking for help, be specific. "Help me find a job" is vague. "I'm looking for a product manager position in B2B SaaS — do you know companies that are hiring?" is specific and clear how to help.
Regular Contact
Relationships require maintenance. Met a year ago, haven't communicated since — the connection has weakened. Writing after a year with a request for help is awkward.
Maintain connections with regular touches. Not intrusive, but sufficient to stay on the radar. Send an interesting article quarterly, congratulate on company success, suggest meeting for coffee.
Comparison of networking approaches:
Aspect | Effective Networking | Ineffective Networking |
Goal | Building relationships | Collecting contacts |
Approach | Give value first | Ask for help immediately |
Interest in person | Genuine, deep | Formal, superficial |
Quantity vs quality | 20 deep connections | 500 superficial contacts |
Follow-up | Regular, with value | One-time or absent |
Requests | Specific, rare | Frequent, vague |
Relationship balance | Give more than ask | Only ask |
Long-term focus | Years of relationships | One-time contact |
How to Maintain Professional Connections
It's easy to collect contacts. It's hard to turn them into sustainable relationships that last for years.
Contact Management System
Keeping connections in your head works for up to 20-30 people. Beyond that, you need a system. When you last communicated, what you talked about, what the person's interests and challenges are.
CRM for personal contacts sounds strange but works. Notion, Airtable, even Google Sheets with columns — name, field, last contact, what you agreed on, when the next touch should be.
After each meeting, record key moments about the person. Not just professional information, but personal too — hobbies, family, plans. This is the basis for personalized communication in the future.
Regular Touches Without Being Intrusive
Contact frequency depends on relationship closeness. Close contacts — once a month or two. Distant ones — once every six months. The main thing is not to disappear completely and not to appear only with requests.
Reasons for touching base:
Share an article or insight on topics of the person's interest
Congratulate on company success or personal achievement
Offer to introduce someone useful
Simply check in quarterly
Avoid template messages. "Hi, how are you?" without context gets a short answer and doesn't develop the relationship. A personalized message with a reason for reaching out works.
Creating Value for Your Network
Become a connector — someone who introduces people to each other. This strengthens your position in the network. Both people are grateful for a useful introduction.
Share knowledge and experience. Write articles, give talks, help with advice. This attracts people and creates a reputation as an expert in your field.
Organize meetings and events. A small dinner for 8-10 interesting people from your network creates value for everyone and strengthens connections.
Long-Term Relationship Building
Networking is a marathon, not a sprint. A connection's value often manifests over years, not months. Someone you met three years ago might become a key partner in a new project.
Invest in relationships before you need them. The mistake is remembering someone only when you need help. Maintain contact regularly so that when you need help, it's natural.
Online Networking in 2026
Online has long ceased to be a substitute for live communication. For many connections, online is the only format due to geography or work specifics.
LinkedIn as a Networking Tool
LinkedIn works worse in Russia than in the West, but remains the main professional networking platform. A good profile, regular activity, personalized connection requests are the basics.
A connection request without a message almost never works. A personalized message with meeting context works 5-10 times better. "Saw your talk at conference X, would be interesting to discuss topic Y" gives a reason to accept the request.
Commenting on posts from your target audience is a way to get on their radar. Not "Agree!" but a substantive comment with a thought or question. After several comments, the person notices you.
Professional Communities and Chats
Telegram chats on professional topics in Russia are more active than LinkedIn. Chats for product managers, marketers, developers are places where people meet, help each other, find work and partners.
Active participation in chats attracts attention. Answer questions in your expertise, share experience, help with advice. After a month of active participation, half the chat knows who you are.
Don't spam self-promotion in chats. "We do X, contact us if interested" is annoying. Organic mention of your experience in the context of answering a question works better.
Virtual Coffee Meetings
Online 1-on-1s are more effective than group online events for networking. A 30-minute video call provides an opportunity to get to know someone deeper than an hour in a crowd at a webinar.
Offer virtual coffee to people you're interested in meeting. "Saw your post about X, I have similar experience. Would be interesting to discuss over a 20-30 minute virtual coffee this week."
Content as a Tool for Attracting Connections
Regular publication of articles, posts, and talks attracts people to you. No need to actively seek contacts — they find you through your content.
Content shows expertise and thinking. Someone who has read your articles comes to the conversation with basic trust and understanding of your experience.
mymeet.ai for Managing Networking
The main networking problem is that information about people and agreements is scattered across dozens of places. Contacts in your phone, meeting notes in a notebook, follow-up reminders in calendar, correspondence history in email.
mymeet.ai is an AI meeting assistant that automatically captures everything important from conversations and helps manage professional connections. The system records meetings, extracts information about people, their interests, projects, agreements, and reminds about next steps.
mymeet.ai capabilities for networking:
✅ Automatic contact information capture — after each meeting, the system extracts mentioned projects, interests, and problems of the person
✅ History of all interactions — can quickly recall what you discussed at the last meeting before a new meeting with someone
✅ Follow-up reminders — system tracks agreements like "let's call in a month" and reminds you not to forget
✅ Search across all meetings — can find which acquaintances mentioned interest in a specific topic for targeted introductions
✅ Ready contexts for touching base — before a call, the system shows a summary of past meetings with the person for quick context
✅ Promise tracking — system records what you promised to help someone with and reminds you to follow through
✅ Networking activity management — see who you haven't communicated with for a while, who needs a message, who's waiting for a response
✅ CRM integration — all meeting information automatically goes into your contact management system
Case Study: How an Entrepreneur Built a Network of 200+ Quality Contacts
An entrepreneur in B2B understood the value of networking but faced a problem — after meeting someone potentially useful, he forgot conversation details, lost follow-up agreements, and didn't maintain contact regularly.
The problem scaled. When there were 20 contacts, keeping information about each in his head was realistic. With 50+ contacts, chaos began — forgot what was agreed, didn't remember what was promised, lost context of past meetings.
Implementing mymeet.ai changed the situation. Every meeting was automatically captured. The system extracted key information — the person's projects, challenges, agreements. It reminded me about follow-ups.
After a year, the entrepreneur maintained active relationships with 200+ contacts. Before each meeting, he restored context of past conversations in 2 minutes. Kept promises because the system reminded him. Maintained contact regularly because he could see who he hadn't communicated with for a while.
Result — 40% of new clients came through recommendations from the network. Three key partnerships grew from networking. Two employees were found through acquaintances.
Common Networking Mistakes
Most networking failures happen for predictable reasons. Understanding mistakes helps avoid them.
Asking for Help Immediately
Meeting someone and immediately asking is the most common mistake. "Hi, we met at the conference. Do you have a contact for the purchasing director at Company X?"
The person feels used. No relationship foundation, no value created, just a request. The probability of help is low, and the impression is ruined.
Collecting Contacts Without Relationships
1,000 LinkedIn contacts mean nothing if it's just a number. Collecting business cards at conferences, adding everyone on social media without real interaction.
When you need help, it turns out these contacts are dead. The person doesn't remember who you are, there's no meeting context, no basis for a request.
Lack of Follow-Up
Great meeting, exchanged contacts, agreed to call — and no follow-up. A month later, the meeting context is forgotten, writing feels awkward, the connection is lost.
Most potential connections are lost at the lack of follow-up stage. Met, but didn't solidify the acquaintance with subsequent communication.
Formal Approach Without Sincerity
Rehearsed phrases, template questions, visible disinterest behind a polite facade. People feel insincerity.
If there's no genuine interest in the person — don't waste time on formal communication. Better fewer contacts, but sincere ones.
How to Measure Networking Effectiveness
Networking is a long-term investment. Results aren't always immediately obvious, but you can track network quality indicators.
Qualitative Network Metrics
Connection depth is more important than contact quantity. The metric — how many people would answer a call and help if you asked? If out of 500 contacts only 10 would — the network is superficial.
Relationship balance — are you giving value or only asking? If you constantly ask but rarely help, connections quickly deplete.
Network diversity — contacts from different industries, functions, and levels provide more opportunities than a homogeneous network.
Opportunities Through Networking
Track opportunity sources. How many clients came through referrals? How many job candidates from acquaintances? How many partnerships grew from networking?
If all opportunities come through cold channels, networking isn't working. A healthy share is 30-50% of opportunities through your network.
ROI of Time Spent on Networking
Time on networking is an investment. The question is — does it pay off? If you spend 10 hours a month on events and meetings, what value are you getting?
Value isn't always monetary. Information, advice, support, mentorship — that's also ROI. But if after six months of active networking there are no results — the approach needs to change.
Conclusion
Networking isn't about collecting contacts and manipulative introduction techniques. It's about building sincere professional relationships based on mutual value and long-term interest in each other.
Start small — set a goal of one new quality connection per month. Maintain existing connections with regular valuable touches. Give more than you ask. Be sincere in your interest in people.
Ready to build a system for managing professional connections? Try mymeet.ai free — 180 minutes of meeting processing without credit card. Automatically capture contact information, get follow-up reminders, and turn acquaintances into lasting relationships.
FAQ
How to start networking if you have no connections?
Start with online communities in your profession — Telegram chats, forums, LinkedIn groups. Actively participate in discussions, help with advice, share experience. After a month or two of activity, you'll start knowing people and they'll know you. Attend free meetups and gatherings in your city — there's a low barrier to entry.
How to network if you're an introvert?
Introverts don't need to meet 50 people at an event. Focus on quality, not quantity — 3-4 deep conversations are more effective than dozens of superficial ones. Use online networking — virtual 1-on-1 meetings, correspondence, comments. This is more comfortable for introverts and often more effective.
How much time to spend on networking?
Depends on goals and career stage. Minimum — 2-4 hours per month maintaining existing connections and making new ones. Active networking phase (job search, project launch) — up to 10-15 hours per month. The main thing — regularity is more important than intensity.
How to ask for help without being intrusive?
Create value first — help the person several times before asking. Be specific in your request — not "help me find a job," but "do you know companies currently looking for product managers?" Give an easy way to decline — "if now isn't a good time, no problem."
Should you network with everyone?
No. A wide superficial network is less useful than a narrow deep one. Meet people with whom you have intersection points of interests, values, or professional topics. 50 quality connections will provide more opportunities than 500 random contacts.
How to maintain contact with dozens of people?
Use a contact management system — a simple spreadsheet or CRM for personal connections. Record information about the person, last contact, next touch. Automate reminders. Group contacts by closeness — close ones monthly, distant ones quarterly.
What to do if someone doesn't respond to messages?
One follow-up message after a week or two is acceptable. If still no response — step back. Don't take it personally; people have many reasons not to respond. Try writing in a few months with specific value or reason.
How to turn an online acquaintance into a real relationship?
Several substantive online interactions (correspondence, virtual meetings) create a foundation. Suggest an in-person meeting when you sense mutual interest. "I'll be in your city next week, it would be great to meet for coffee." Or invite them to an event.
Does networking work for job searching?
Yes, and very effectively. Most positions are filled through referrals before the vacancy is posted. Tell your network you're looking for work with specific criteria. "Looking for a product manager position in B2B SaaS" gives understanding of how to help. Acquaintances will recommend or connect you with the right people.
How to distinguish a useful contact from a useless one?
There are no inherently useless contacts. A connection's value often manifests unexpectedly years later. But if after several interactions there's no mutual interest, common topics, or mutual value — don't force the relationship. Focus on connections where there's a natural basis for continuation.
Radzivon Alkhovik
Feb 2, 2026
