Tips For Effective Networking



In my opinion, networking should be mandatory of all positions within a company.  I'm not saying it's easy for everyone to do it.  It certainly can induce panic for even the mildest case of agoraphobia*.  However, this is no excuse if you want to get ahead in your career, or change careers.  With everything else in life, practice makes perfect. 

Definition of NETWORKING:  1: the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically : the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business

See...by definition, networking plays an important "productive" part in our job roles. Cultivating these relationships should not be seen as scary but necessary on our road to success. 

Opportunities to network can be everywhere:  On an airplane; at your kids ballet, baseball, gymnastics, soccer practice, at a party, on the bus, at the hair salon, ...you get my point... you never know when you could meet your next client or future boss!

This article suggests a few basic tips to help get you feeling comfortable networking in no time:

How to Network Effectively - eHow.com

I am, by nature, a social person and would say that I have a high level of comfort talking to strangers in the settings I mention above.  A work related networking event - an event specifically meant to encourage networking among professionals - for some reason, can induce an elevated feeling of anxiety even for me.   I tend to do what is easy/comfortable - attach myself to someone I already know in the hopes that they will introduce me to new people.  This is ineffective most of the time because I will typically end up in a small group of people that I already know, who are also hoping that the others will make the introductions! 

So I have a rule that I adhere to before I allow myself to hook on to someone that I already know.  I introduce myself to three people - sometimes, by the nature of the event/meeting, it's obvious who I need to approach, but most of the time it's just random selection.  If, at the end of the evening, I have three new contacts, I feel a certain level of success.  Once I've reached my goal of three contacts, one of two things will usually happen - 1) I start to relax and realize it's not that bad and everyone else in the room is doing it too. or 2) the event hasn't cultivated the kind of contacts I'm looking for and head straight to the valet stand to get my car and go home.

How about you?  What tips to you have for effective networking?  I'd like to hear!

*agoraphobia - fear of embarrassment

Power Networking

net-work-ing: -noun 1. a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.

definition via Dictionary.com

Networking is a good exercise in any profession. Most of us in the commercial furnishings and textiles business belong to networking groups made up of non-competing sales people where each person brings to the meeting new projects and/or contacts to share. By the definition above, a good networking group is "a supportive system of sharing information". There is a tremendous amount of trust among members of the group and unwritten rules of conduct of which everyone abides by. Some networking groups are better than others...the group has to have good chemistry. I was recently invited to join two non-competing sales representatives and hosted their "Power Networking" meeting. What made it a "power" meeting? Not only did we exchange information, we actually followed thru on making the call to set up meetings and or presentations with the new contacts shared. We agreed to invite each other to additional sales presentations we make in the coming weeks. Not only will this allow us to share in the expense of a lunch presentation, have a more focused presentation - 20 min versus a whole hour - but more importantly, it will allow our time-crunched customers the opportunity to be exposed to a wider variety of product over the hour lunch break. I see it as a win-win for everyone. How are you utilizing networking groups to grow your business?

LinkedIn...a good business tool?

LinkedIn is a great tool for me to stay in touch with clients and network with potential new ones. This is just one of several social media outlets I participate in to deliver my personal and corporate brand out into the market. Are you active on LinkedIn? I'd like to know...take the poll on the right side of the screen. Sometimes I wonder, "How much of an impact is participating on LinkedIn making on my business and how can I maximize it's potential?" The article below offers some really great suggestions on how to get your profile started and how to optimize LinkedIn as a business tool. I've implemented several of the suggestions, including utilizing the TripIt application. Now I can share with my connections my business trips. I hope to see more of you on LinkedIn and the next time you see that I'll be in your city...let's connect!

LinkedIn Best Practices for Business

image via: flickr - CoreIncorporated