For Irish professionals to succeed in today's business world, they need to master the art of networking. The rise of digital tools such as NFC business cards has made networking quicker and more convenient. But still, people are faltering in their networking skills because they make common mistakes. So, in this blog, let's look at these mistakes and take steps to avoid them in 2025.

1.  Focusing Solely on Online Connections

Indeed, virtual networking platforms are now the preferred place to network for Irish professionals but to depend on it solely will be a mistake. This is because online tools like these can be convenient and effective, but they lack the personal touch of face-to-face meetings.

This is why you should also pay equal importance to events in the industry where you get to meet people. For local businesses, events like exhibitions or conferences can provide more authentic connections and help build trust than online virtual meetings. Therefore, to make the best of both worlds, maintain a balance between the two.

2.  Overloading Your Digital Profile

A great feature of NFC tags or digital cards is that they can hold more than just your contact details. They can have links to your social media profiles, PDFs of your product brochure or even videos of product demonstrations. It is often the case that people overload the information they share through their digital cards or tags! Such oversharing does more harm than good because the recipient is overwhelmed by the amount of information present.

To avoid this mistake, focus on quality not quantity. You should include only essentials like your LinkedIn profile, your website and your portfolio rather than all social media accounts. Also, you can customize your NFC business cards based on the networking event you are participating in. For example, if you are in an exhibition event, where you want to showcase your products, you can have a link to your website, product brochure or video demonstration. For networking events with peers or potential investors, you can focus on your product and your LinkedIn profiles.

3.  Failing to Offer Value

Networking is not all about how much you can get; it is a two-way street. So, if when networking you are always going with the mentality of how much “you can get out of this relationship”, then you are making one of the biggest mistakes in networking. When making connections, you have to make sure that you are also bringing something to the table for the people you are networking with. Otherwise, no one will be keen on working with you if the relationship is one-sided.

4.  Neglecting to Follow Up

Another mistake that you should be avoiding in 2025 is not following the initial connections made. Meeting someone when networking is just the first step; if you don't do proper follow-up, then your first effort is meaningless. A simple thank you, or sharing a key takeaway from your conversation will leave a positive impression. Your NFC tags or cards can help you with this. By tracking their usage, you can easily tell which recipient is more interested in continuing your connection than others. You can then do follow-up based on the interest they should. This will give you better lead generation than before.

5.  Forgetting to Leverage Digital Tools

As you can see, digital tools like NFC cards are a game changer when it comes to networking. But the mistake many people make is using just that as their digital tool for networking. To get the best benefit of this tool, you need to integrate it with other tools like CRM software, email marketing platforms and even your LinkedIn profile!

How do these tools work? Well, first you share and receive information through digital business cards. Then you use LinkedIn to connect with them. You also use CRM tools to track how many people have access to your information and then set reminders for follow-ups. This approach helps you build more organised and stronger professional relationships.

Final Thoughts

Networking in 2025 is all about blending timeless interpersonal skills and adopting tools and technologies like NFC business cards. Remember, networking isn't just about who you meet—it's about how you make them feel and the value you bring to the table. So, avoid these mistakes and have a great networking experience in 2025.