The Silent Killer of Sales: Why Your “Networking” is Really Just Pitch-Slapping

In the modern business landscape, we’re constantly told to “network” and “build our pipeline” to “get more leads.” In the quest for growth, many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of mistaking transactional interactions for genuine relationship building, and this can sabotage their efforts before they even begin.

You might think you’re networking, but if your approach is driven by an immediate ulterior motive, you’re likely getting it wrong and it’s costing you more than just a potential sale.

The Misconception of “Networking”

When I observe how most people approach networking, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, it’s like watching someone treat a sophisticated office building as a high-pressure sales floor. They walk up, extend a hand and immediately launch into a pitch. They forget to say, “good morning,” to ask about someone’s weekend or to simply connect as a human being first.

Your network isn’t just a number in your connection list; it’s the quality of the relationships you have. Everyone has an ulterior motive, but when people can sense that you want something from them, that immediately puts their guard up. It’s a fundamental disconnect from what genuine networking should be.

Why Sales Tactics Miss the Mark

The simple truth is that people hate the feeling of being sold to. It’s disingenuous and it often lacks the necessary research or understanding of the recipient’s true needs. In an effort to find shortcuts, marketers and sales professionals send pitches that might be superficially personalized but are fundamentally irrelevant. These pitches are often lazy, automated and completely devoid of humanity.

We’ve all experienced the “pitch slap” – those messages where someone congratulates you on a new role or recent achievement, only to immediately follow up with a thinly veiled sales pitch. It creates an immediate sense of distrust and resentment, making actual connection impossible.

When “Authentic” is Just a Tactic

Sometimes what we think is authentic in our networking efforts can actually come across as a sales tactic. This is a subtle but crucial distinction.

For example, commenting on someone’s social media post purely to redirect traffic to your own services is transparently self-serving. Sharing content only because you want something in return and not because it genuinely adds value to your network also falls into this category.

True authenticity means engaging because you care, because you’re curious or because you genuinely want to add value, not just extract it.

The Compounding ROI of Relationships

So, if aggressive sales tactics and superficial networking are wrong, what’s the right way? The answer lies in prioritizing relationships.

When people genuinely like and trust you, opportunities arise naturally. This can’t happen without real, sustained relationships. I’ve personally built a six-figure business without making a single cold call, precisely because I invested in relationships before I needed them. When someone in my network has a problem I can solve, they think of me first – not because I pitched them, but because I’ve shown up consistently and authentically. The return on investment (ROI) literally grows over time, creating a sustainable foundation for your business.

Steps to Reframe Your Approach

For leaders and entrepreneurs looking to shift their focus from tactics to genuine connection, here are some actionable steps:

• Be curious and pay attention: Truly listen to what others are saying and what their needs are.

• Celebrate wins: Acknowledge and congratulate people on their successes without any expectation of reciprocation.

• Offer your help and follow through: Ask how you can assist and support others, even if it has no direct benefit to you. This builds immense goodwill.

• Care about people as humans, not prospects: See the person first, their potential business second.

• Nurture relationships consistently: Relationships aren’t built after one meeting. They require ongoing, authentic engagement.

From Connection to Opportunity

I’ve seen firsthand how powerful this shift can be. One of my clients, a leadership communication expert, decided to prioritize virtual coffee chats with former colleagues from his 20+ years in the industry. He reconnected with his network in a more intentional way and as a result, had the best year in his business’ history.

Think about tools like LinkedIn as the starting point, not the sales floor. My entire business is built around LinkedIn, yet I often say, somewhat jokingly, that I’m on LinkedIn to get off the platform and build real relationships. That’s where real opportunity comes from and that’s where the magic truly happens.

These platforms are merely a starting point. Your profile and content should be doing the heavy lifting, serving as your digital handshake and leaving a lasting impression. Begin to treat it as an office instead of a sales floor and you’ll start to see the magic again. May was my best month to date, despite lower reach and not posting daily, because my approach to LinkedIn is rooted in relationship-building, not lead generation.

Ultimately, prioritizing relationships isn’t just a soft skill; it’s a strategic imperative for long-term business success. It’s time to stop pitch-slapping and start connecting.

Natasha Walstra is a LinkedIn expert and the Founder of NearPoint Strategies, where she helps leaders, executive teams, and sales professionals turn their LinkedIn presence into a powerful engine for visibility, trust, and sales.