Let us now talk about gaining respect & meeting the right people.
You cannot refer me if you are not respected by the community. Your word carries no weight.
Who do you want to meet while networking? Respected networkers. Why? Because they are established within the community.
How do you get people to continually refer you? Gain their respect.
How do you gain respect? Follow up promptly. New networkers will gain instant respect. People already in your network, maintain their respect.