Whether you're an introvert
or an extrovert, feel like you have the gift of the gab or just don't know how
to make small talk, networking know-how is very important for your business
success. There is a notion in business that I believe most of us subscribe to
that says,
"All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those they know, like and trust."
The key to this is obviously being able to develop relationships; so over the next few blogs I'm going to guide you through the minefield that is networking.
What types of networking are there?
Online: This is the latest fashion and there are many excellent sites out there; some of the one's I use include: Ecademy, Twitter & Facebook. However you must decide which is right for you and how you are going to use them, personally I use the first two for business and the latter for family and friends. My advice is don't mix the two, if you want both a personal & business presence then have two separate user names.
Networks: Again there are numerous networks to consider, most, if not all, offer access to a large network of contacts for which you pay a subscription. My advice is to look around and visit before you commit to these, especially as some can be quite pricey!
Informal: These are often forgotten or neglected but can be very useful! Included here are, friends, work and ad hoc meetings, However, please remember the rules and don't treat these the same as formal networks, there is nothing more annoying that being pitched when you believe you are meeting someone for a social cup of coffee! So build trust by being a good listener and hold back!
Groups: As with the previous category, these can often be overlooked as a means of getting known but can be very beneficial in raising your profile. Included here are local, community or national groups that can be an interest, hobby or a society that you have a loose affiliation to.
Whatever you decide is right for you; one useful piece of advice is to look for groups that don't target people like you!
Surround yourself with people who don't look like you, don't sound like you, don't talk like you, don't have the same educational background as you, and don't have the same experiences as you. Connect with people who are substantially different from you. The value in this is that you meet people who connect you to people you wouldn't normally have contact with and this is the essence of successful networking!
Next time, I'll ask if you're shooting yourself in the foot!
"All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those they know, like and trust."
The key to this is obviously being able to develop relationships; so over the next few blogs I'm going to guide you through the minefield that is networking.
What types of networking are there?
Online: This is the latest fashion and there are many excellent sites out there; some of the one's I use include: Ecademy, Twitter & Facebook. However you must decide which is right for you and how you are going to use them, personally I use the first two for business and the latter for family and friends. My advice is don't mix the two, if you want both a personal & business presence then have two separate user names.
Networks: Again there are numerous networks to consider, most, if not all, offer access to a large network of contacts for which you pay a subscription. My advice is to look around and visit before you commit to these, especially as some can be quite pricey!
Informal: These are often forgotten or neglected but can be very useful! Included here are, friends, work and ad hoc meetings, However, please remember the rules and don't treat these the same as formal networks, there is nothing more annoying that being pitched when you believe you are meeting someone for a social cup of coffee! So build trust by being a good listener and hold back!
Groups: As with the previous category, these can often be overlooked as a means of getting known but can be very beneficial in raising your profile. Included here are local, community or national groups that can be an interest, hobby or a society that you have a loose affiliation to.
Whatever you decide is right for you; one useful piece of advice is to look for groups that don't target people like you!
Surround yourself with people who don't look like you, don't sound like you, don't talk like you, don't have the same educational background as you, and don't have the same experiences as you. Connect with people who are substantially different from you. The value in this is that you meet people who connect you to people you wouldn't normally have contact with and this is the essence of successful networking!
Next time, I'll ask if you're shooting yourself in the foot!
Malcolm
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