Regardless of or profession, industry, company... Every one of us bases our success in our professions on our ability to strategically network effectively. And so.. we have a great topic this week, How to Network Effectively!
"Strategic networking prepares us for serendipitous moments. When we are confident of our ability to meet people, we are more likely to be open to chance encounters and convert them to mutually beneficial relationships"
So, what is "strategic networking" and why is it so important? By simple definition, networking is the art of building and sustaining a mutually beneficial relationships. There are 3 VERY important words in that definition (well 4 since mutually beneficial is 2 words.. but you know what I mean).
The art of BUILDING (going to the right places, meeting the right people, initiating the right conversations) and SUSTAINING (Follow through and follow up) MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL relationships (the most effective networkers build relationships prior to actually needing them creating a relationship. Networking is much more difficult when you need something from someone and they are getting nothing in return).
Let's get started: How to Build a Mutually Beneficial Network:
1) People have to like you:
You must understand the fundamental techniques in handling people. I turn to genius, Dale Carnegie, for his guidance here. If you want to master the art of human interaction, read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, it changed my life.
6 ways to make people like you: (via Mr. Carnegie)
- Become genuinely interested in other people
- Smile (even when you are on the phone.. you can tell)
- Remember that a persons name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language
- Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves
- Talk in terms of the other person's interests
- Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely
2) Find and Be found ONLINE - and use these tools to find others:
If no one knows about your skills, talents, and projects, who's going to help you make the best of them? You must be out there so you can be found. Once you are found, you need to be responsive.
- Social Sites
- LinkedIn - You would think my blog is sponsored by LinkedIn since I rave about the site, but it is just true. As I mentioned in my last post, create a detailed profile and state your networking goals in your profile summary.
- Twitter - Make sure your "description" includes key words that will help with your networking goals. Follow people who it might make sense to network with and create lists to manage the people you follow.
- Facebook - A lot of people use facebook for personal reasons but it is still important to have your professional profile posted. Another way people can find you.
3) Find and Be found LIVE - and use these events to find others
- Attend Events
- Living in a city like DC, there are about 100 networking events you can attend every night but let's face it, most of them are crap. It is important that you find out which groups/events are worth attending. Word of mouth is obviously the best way but there is also trial and error. Talk to people who attend different events and get recommendations AND go out a try a few. Keep track and go back to worth while events. A number of "members only" groups will allow you to attend the first event for free, you just have to ask. This website highlights good events in DC, your city should have one as well. www.clotureclub.com/events/
- Play golf
- The people on the golf course are typically the people you want to meet. Here is a great article to read (it is directed to HR professionals but is beneficial for everyone. http://bonnieolist.blogspot.com/
- Join Groups and attend meetings
- Joining social groups like your alumni association, junior league, wine clubs, book clubs, etc and professional organizations are a great way to casually make friends and meet new people who have similar interests as you.
4) Use your friends - we can all be Real Estate Agents
We often forget that our beer buddies, softball team, girls night out group AKA FRIENDS are a great resource to tap into. I know it can be awkward to turn the switch of personal to professional, but just do it. Send an email out to your entire personal network and explain your networking goals. Ask for suggestions and lay everything out on the table. These people are already your friends and will surprisingly end up being very helpful.
Real estate agents do this, why can't you? Just think about it, how many real estate agent friends do you have? I know, I have 3. How do I know that? Because I get pinged with an email, a letter, a Christmas card, a magnetic football schedule with their face on it, etc... at least 4 times a year. And if I was looking for a house and/or knew someone that was, I would use/suggest these 3 people. Now, how many PR friends do I have, what about sales friends, how about technology geeks... no idea. Back to the whole idea, if no one knows about your skills, talents, and projects, who's going to help you make the best of them?
OK, attention spans are now officially lost. Hopefully these suggestions have helped you think about building a network. I am going to end here and pick up next time with sustaining a mutually beneficial network. If there are any topics under networking you would like me to cover, let me know!
REMEMBER, NETWORKING IS NOT: about selling anything, getting a job, receiving a donation, or securing funding. Networking is also NOT "schmoozing" which suggests you trying to get something without giving anything. In other words, it's not the mutually beneficial relationships that you build through networking.
*Disclaimer: my friend C-i-n-d-i (that's Cindy with an I) came up with the name of this blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment