Work your own schedule, whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, knowing how to network is very important to your business success.
There’s a saying in business that I believe most of us agree on that says, “All things being equal, people will do business with those they know, like, and trust.” The key to this is the ability to develop relationships.
Think of networking as fostering mutually beneficial relationships. To be mutual, there must be a give and take (pay attention to the give). We should not see networking as events where you go to sell your business. When effective networking takes place, the parties involved actively share ideas, information, resources, etc.
Work your own schedule, steady.
You should network because it is one of the most profitable activities for generating leads. It must be used wisely, appropriately, and professionally. That seems easier said than done.
Here’s a seven-step plan to really start networking for your business.
- Look at several groups to find the best chemistry and perceived value. Most groups will allow you to come and visit at least a few times before you join. Ask around to find out why others joined and what value they get from belonging.
- Once you find a group or two, join and go to all the meetings you can. Don’t just go once or twice expecting things to happen.
Building a mutually beneficial relationship will take some time.
The contacts you make need to keep hearing your message. Continuous contact with others over time will open up opportunities for you to go deeper and learn more about the thoughts, ideas, and capabilities of others related to your business.
You need to be persistent. The effort will pay off.
- Get involved – be visible. Do as much as you can to be more visible within the organization. Volunteer to help at meetings, serve on committees, or become a leader or board member.
Participation does several things for you and your business. First, you’ll get more opportunities to make connections and get to know some of the contacts you’ve made even better. Second, the more visibility you have in the group, the less work you will have to do to make new connections. Instead, as new people come into the group, they are likely to seek you out because they see you as a leader in the organization.
- Send explanations to contacts. A chance meeting will not bring a new job. You need to tell them what happens when you are not in that group.
Send them invitations to your events. Send them emails or letters to share big news or success stories. Share valuable ideas as well.
- Work on making recommendations and sharing valuable information. You must give before you can receive. Get to know the members and give them a good perspective.
At first, work your own schedule. At second, you may think that you have little of value to share with others. Part of the key to being good at giving is not making assumptions. Don’t assume that a basic resource (e.g. a website) that you are aware of is known to someone you may talk to just because they are an “expert” in the field. Be prepared to ask if they know of a resource and share if they don’t.
Want to get better at actually giving referrals?
That you will explore giving will raise your knowledge, likeability, and trust factor.
- Focus on quality, not quantity, quantity. It’s not about the number of connections you make, it’s about the quality of the ones you make. Are these mutually beneficial win-win relationships?
Quality connections will be recognizable because all parties involved will actively share ideas, information, and resources.
Staying in touch and following up with a smaller number of quality connections will generally be much more productive than trying to follow up with more superficial contacts.
- Be persistent, but be patient. The goal of a networking event shouldn’t be to land potential clients every time you go out. Networking usually takes time to develop and nurture relationships.
Don’t approach networking as a scary proposition or a necessary evil for doing business. Take the pressure off yourself and really focus on how you can connect with someone you meet. Focus on them first and look for ways to be useful to them.
