Mom was wrong: it does pay to talk to strangers. My takeaways from Never Eat Alone

Not so long ago I realized that I am always looking for experts, and so rarely do I, or the people I know, have an idea of where to find them. I knew it was all about networking, so I decided to read Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and find out how other people solve the problem of being disconnected. I didn’t find the book particularly ground-breaking, but some of my notes are definitely worth sharing.

1. You can’t achieve your goals in life/business alone.
2. Ask any accomplished CEO or entrepreneur or professional how they achieved their success, and I guarantee you’ll hear very little business jargon. What you will mostly hear about are the people who helped pave their way, if they are being honest and not too caught up in their own success.
3. Real networking is about making other people more successful.
4. Connecting is a constant process of giving and receiving — of asking for and offering help.
5. It’s better to give before you receive. And never keep score.
6. Write down your goals and write down the people who can help you achieve these goals.
7. Churchill today is known as an oratory genius, master of the art of repartee — the kind of fantastic dinner guest who captures everyone’s undivided attention. What is less known — but which Churchill acknowledged in his own writing — is the blood, sweat, and tears of preparation that went into the making of a single sentence or the delivery of a clever joke.
8. Selling is, reduced to its essence, solving another person’s problems.
9. Always follow up.
10. Conferences are places to network, not to find insight.
11. Often weak contacts (not family or friends) prove the most powerful.
12. Mom was wrong — it does pay to talk to strangers.
13. The best way to become good at small talk is not to talk small at all.
14. If all else fails, these five words never do: “You’re wonderful. Tell me more”.