One of the key elements for running a profitable business is to remember that as an entrepreneur, we are here to provide a service and to build our business and local communities. This means you must build a hearty relationship with them. One of the key strategies to obtain that relationship? Networking!

Yuck.

At least, yuck, if this is the visual: A mandatory and artificial meet and greet with a bunch of people in their Sunday best mulling around a convention hall, pitching their wares and handing out business cards. I can’t blame you for seeing it this way because networking has gotten a bad rap over the last few years. Networking has become yet another word for marketing, eliminating most of the human element from the conversation and providing very few long standing relationships.

Fear not! There is a resolution (I said resolution, not revolution, put the flag down!). One of the advantages of being an entrepreneur is that we have the power to flip the script. If we shift our perspective from networking to connecting, we will form far more natural and richer (no pun intended there) relationships. Connecting isn’t just about creating profit, but developing a true relationship and impacting your community in a positive way. Added bonus – we gain a breadth of knowledge regarding their needs, which will only help you improve your business. These are just a few of the pointers we learned a while ago from Scott Gerber, author of Superconnector and guest on our Entrepreneurship Elevated podcast. Bottom line, connecting is key, but people need to feel like you are going to build a long term relationship, not just an opportunity.

Great. Now how do we make these connections organically? One of the strongest characteristics an entrepreneur can have is a solid set of social skills (I’m talking to you, introverts!). So when there is a natural way to connect with and learn from others, get in there, buddy! After a keynote or a three day convention you may want to hide in your hotel room and decompress, but taking a little time to socialize can reap endless rewards.

I was recently out to dinner after a keynote and every person at the table was a fellow entrepreneur running a profitable business. Perhaps in any other setting some of these folks would have been less likely to speak up and share their knowledge and experience. But behold! Bread! Food! A beverage or two! Sitting over a meal in an unrushed manner cancelled out that artificial element of “networking” and allowed us to relax and connect naturally. We had this wonderful opportunity to get acquainted and socialize in a non transactional way. We shared not only a meal, but nuggets of tried and true ideas and lessons among this group of vetted peers we never would have had the chance to share otherwise. Priceless!

If traditional networking isn’t, well, working, it’s time to update your perspective. Looking for fresh ways to meet? Immerse yourself in other communities and join some local professional or non profit groups to see how you can be of service. You can turn just about anything into a connecting opportunity. Just be yourself and keep it natural.

It’s easy to get distracted by the daily details, but remember to be a thoughtful entrepreneur. If you focus on connecting, the human aspect of running a profitable business will instantly become infused in everything you do.

If you want more tips like this go to Mikemotorbike.com or Mikemichalowicz.com and click on Get the Tools for tons of tried and true resources for business help and how to run a truly profitable business. Let’s rock entrepreneurship!