The Question I Get Asked After Every Networking Webinar, And How I Answer It!
Why “simple” networking still takes effort—and why that’s okay
Welcome to issue #179 of The Introverted Networker. Every Tuesday, I teach you to be a better networker. My favorite part of the week is hearing from my readers, so leave a comment or ask a question, if you are so inclined.
Last week, I led a few webinars for job seekers.
After one session, someone followed up and asked a fair question:
“Is networking really as easy as the steps you laid out?”
I’ve been thinking about that question all week.
Because it gets at something important:
Simple Is Not the Same as Easy.
Let’s break it down…
This issue takes about 3 minutes to read…
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Simple and easy get mixed up
The networking approach I teach is simple on purpose.
Simple means clear.
Simple means you know what to do next.
Simple means fewer decisions and less noise.
Easy is something else entirely.
Easy implies comfort.
Easy implies quick wins.
Easy implies no resistance.
That’s not how this works.
What simple actually looks like
The Connection Loop has five steps.
Start with someone you already know.
Set up a short conversation.
Listen and be helpful.
Be easy to help when someone asks to help you.
Repeat.
There’s nothing complicated about the steps.
But none of them remove the human part.
Want to learn more about The Connection Loop?
You can get started at Welcome To The Introverted Networker.
This is my totally FREE, quick start networking guide with links to each step in the process.
Where people get tripped up
Reaching out still feels vulnerable.
Waiting for a reply still creates tension.
Some conversations go quiet.
Some don’t go anywhere.
That doesn’t mean you did it wrong.
It means you’re doing something that involves real people.
Simple systems don’t eliminate effort.
They just make the steps clearer.
This is a reps problem, not a talent problem
Networking works more like strength training than a checklist.
Lifting weights once doesn’t change much.
Doing it consistently does.
The benefit shows up slowly.
Often after you think nothing is happening.
Most people stop too early because they confuse “no immediate result” with “this doesn’t work.”
What this looks like in real life
You reach out to someone you trust.
They say yes, but scheduling takes a week or two.
The conversation is good, not magical.
You follow up.
Nothing happens right away.
That’s not failure.
That’s normal.
The work is showing up again next week and doing it one more time.
A quieter way to measure progress
Instead of asking, “Did this lead to something?”
Try asking, “Did I do the reps?”
One conversation this week.
One thoughtful follow-up.
One small act of generosity.
That’s progress, even if nothing changes yet.
Think of it like just getting on base in the game of baseball. I talked about this concept in On-Base Networking: How Introverts Can Win Big with Moneyball Tactics
These small steps will lead to big opportunities, if you keep going!
One small thing to try this week
Pick one person you already know.
Send a short message.
Ask for a 15-minute conversation.
No pitch. No agenda beyond catching up.
When it’s over, write down one thing you learned.
That’s it.
You’ll be surprised where these conversations go and how much better you feel about them if you focus on the process, not the outcome.
Closing thought
Simple systems help you keep going when motivation fades.
Networking doesn’t reward intensity.
It rewards consistency.
If you keep taking small, steady actions, the results tend to show up later than you expect, but stronger than you planned.
If you try this this week, reply and tell me how it went.
More people would benefit from understanding the distinction between simple and easy
Great post
It's amazing the results you get when you do something that's simple and effective over and over again for years.