Networking

Networking

That one conversation that happened right before choosing to give up, could have been that special link you needed to help launch you to the next level.

 

If you really want it to happen, never stop trying, your happiness may depend on it.  The one person needed to add you value, could be found within your own network.

 

Strategies for Networking

Grow Connections

When done correctly, networking is simply going into a conversation looking to add value rather than just take from others. It is about forming trust and helping one another toward goals. It is one of the best ways, if not the best way to build a long-term relationship. By doing this, you sow the seeds for reciprocal assistance when you need help to achieve your goals.

 

Expanding your Thinking

Exchanging information on challenges, experiences and goals is a key benefit of networking.  Offering helpful ideas to a contact is a great way to build your reputation as a sophisticated thinker.

 

Staying current

In an ever-changing business climate it is important to keep up with the target market conditions as well as overall trends in your industry. Knowing the market is the key to developing a successful marketing plan. Attending seminars and networking with your peers and business associates on a regular basis will help you stay current.

Grow Career

When people are noticing that you are choosing to go the extra mile, it adds to your credibility. Regularly attending professional and social events will help to get your face known. You can then help to build your reputation as being knowledgeable, reliable and supportive by offering useful information or tips to people who need it.

 

Build Faith

By continually putting yourself in the position to meet new people, you’re effectively stepping outside your comfort zone and building social skills and self-confidence that you can take with you anywhere. The more you network, the more you’ll grow and learn how to make lasting connections.

 

Gain a different perspective

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of your professional realm and end up in a rut. By talking to others in your field or people with expertise in different areas, it can allow you to receive new visions from different perspectives. Asking for opinions from contacts you trust or admire can help you see things in a new light and overcome roadblocks that you might not have had a clue about solving on your own.

Sharing knowledge and experience

Networking is ideal for expanding your knowledge by taking advantage of the viewpoints and prior experience of others. If for example, you are thinking of starting a podcast or hosting a meetup group, you may be able to get some valuable advice from someone else who has done similar business. Taking advantage of the experiences of others before you invest time and money in something that may be far from what you expected is invaluable.

 

Developing long-lasting personal relationships

Of course, the point of networking is to develop and nurture professional relationships, but some of the strongest and most long-standing friendships are born from work connections. Your networking contacts are probably like-minded people with similar goals as your own, so it’s not unlikely that your professional support network will spill over into your personal friendships.

Get an answer to every question

If you have a strong network of professional connections, you can be confident that someone within your group will be able to answer even your toughest questions. And, if there’s no definitive answer, you’ll have a solid sounding board to bounce ideas off and put into action step-by-step plans to tackle bigger problems.

 

The Power of Networking

In today’s world cell phones are the average person’s go to for whatever the circumstances call for. I believe we all have had that moment we wished that the person on the other end of the call were in our presence to at least have a facial expression to make the final decision on if we should trust the individual or not.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are excellent ways to communicate with customers and business associates, but they do not substitute for meeting people in person.  A respectful business meeting presented on time, in a comfortable setting with everyone’s full attention devoted towards the business at hand, is never a waste of time and a great way to do business, and a great way to network.