There are
several forms of networking and strategies surrounding successful
networking. The stronger your network, the greater your strength
to get things accomplished when you "know someone"
who can help you down the path.
Your network is all around
you. Family, friends, current and previous business associates,
teammates, association members – the list goes on. The
key is for you to use your time at meetings, events, conferences
and social gatherings to develop relationships. Meet as many
people as is comfortable for you and establish a rapport with
them, then later contact them or the people referred to you
by them.
Aside from your family and
circle of friends, joining associations or networking groups
is an ideal way to expand your networking circle in a targeted
manner.
Joining Networking
Groups
Joining a networking group is one of the easiest and least
expensive ways to develop a good base of contacts.
The most obvious benefit
of joining a networking group is that you meet or find out
about potential clients. But, networking groups, particularly
those that focus on specific professions, also allow you to
informally continue your professional education. Conferences,
problem solving, brainstorming, sharing new ideas and discussing
new technologies – networking groups simply foster your
personal and professional development.
Spending time with people
in your field helps you stay current without necessarily spending
a lot of money on training and seminars.
Find a Group
You can find networking groups in a variety of ways. Search
the Internet using your city and profession as keywords. Scan
local business journals for lists of local mixers, lunches
and tradeshow events. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce.
But the best source of networking information is networking
itself. As you meet people, ask them if they know of any local
networking groups. Visit those and you'll no doubt hear about
others.
Commitment
Paying membership dues for an organization is the first step.
Once you find and join a group, take the commitment seriously.
Attend meetings regularly. Start thinking about how you can
help other group members. The goal is to develop your network
and allow the learning to continue beyond the meeting setting.
Overtime, people will begin to trust you, and will introduce
you into their inner circle, where real business is conducted.
Tips for Successful
Networking
Networking isn't about instant gratification - it's about
long-term success! Relationships -- business and personal
--need time to develop. The following are some networking
tips to get you started examining your existing network, as
well as some general networking and contact follow-up tips:
1. Write down a
broad list of contacts. Think of people knowledgeable
in your field, well connected and/or willing to talk. Maybe
your neighbor has a friend in your line of work. Maybe you're
changing career direction.
2. Contact each
person on your list with whom you'd like to meet.
Ask yourself what you can actually gain from a conversation
with this person. Are there answers you could learn from this
person that might clarify your market research? Do you want
to learn more about a specific company? How to progress in
a particular field?
3. Develop a concise
message about your business or yourself that explains what
you do. Test this message on your family, friends
and associates making sure to test it on someone not overly
familiar with you and/or your business. This will help ensure
your message is understandable and concise.
4. Get the business
cards of the people you meet. A good idea is to jot
down the specifics of your conversation on the back of the
business card, including the event details and any referrals
immediately following the event/meeting.
5. If you
have one, always carry your business card.
6. Maintain
a record-keeping system. In whatever format works
best for you include the following information on each contact:
• Who referred you
• Name & title of person
• Referrals, if any
• Company name, address, phone and any other pertinent
numbers
• Date of each phone call and/or meeting
• Topics discussed
7. Find a
way to follow-up and communicate with the contact in the near
future. If you come across an article you think may
be of interest to someone in your network, clip it and drop
it in the mail. Hear about an event that may be of interest
to members of your association? Let them know. Don't skip
this opportunity to be in front of your contact's eyes once
again.
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