People genuinely like you – so why aren’t they referring you?
A nonprofit grant writer identifies two different kinds of networking conversations.
The first kind is easy.
👉 People already know her work.
👉 They trust her.
👉 They understand her value.
Those conversations flow naturally and lead to opportunities.
But then there’s the second kind.
The people who:
👉 don’t know her work yet
👉 don’t know who she helps
👉 don’t know what opportunities to listen for
And that’s where things stall.
The conversations are pleasant, but they rarely turn into introductions or referrals.
Why doesn’t networking turn into referrals?
Because most networking pitches are too broad to trigger recognition.
People don’t know:
👉 who to send your way
👉 what problem you solve
👉 or when to introduce you
That’s exactly what’s happening here.
She describes herself broadly:
“I do grant writing.”
“I help nonprofits.”
“I work in philanthropy.”
All true.
But none of those phrases help me picture a specific person.
Then we get more specific:
👉 STEM education programs
👉 K–12 schools
👉 underserved communities
And immediately –
👉 I think of a great introduction for her.
Someone who works with her clients but solves a different problem.
That’s the shift. Someone immediately comes to mind.
Networking isn’t really about:
👉 having good conversations
👉 impressing people
👉 or explaining everything you do
The real goal is simpler:
👉 help people quickly recognize opportunities for you.
Without that clarity, networking often ends with:
👉 “Great meeting you.”
Instead of:
👉 “I know someone you should meet.”
Your Turn
When people hear your pitch…
👉 who do they think of?
Can they picture:
- a type of person?
- a type of problem?
- or a situation where someone would need you?
Or do they politely nod… and move on to the next conversation?
👉 Drop your current pitch in the comments – I’ll reply with one idea to make it easier for people to refer you.