Posted on March 2, 2011 in Marketing

The ten essentials of networking

Author: Maureen Moore
Maureen Moore is a writer, post-secondary ESL instructor and workplace training developer with passions for environmental issues and cross-cultural communication throughout a 20-year professional career. For more information about Maureen and her work, visit www.maureenmoorecom.com/

Networking is a well-recognized method for developing sales, job opportunities, personal contacts based on referrals, introductions, and mutual benefit. Networking is an important aspect of business communication, whether it is done face-to-face at meetings and workplace gatherings, or by other methods such as phone, email, and, increasingly, social and business on-line networking techniques.

Here are the ten essentials of networking that you can use to develop an effective traditional and on-line business network:

1. Know who you are.

Know who you are and always be prepared to be able to describe yourself clearly and concisely in a short, well-written ‘Sound Bite’. This snapshot should describe who you are and explain your areas of expertise, experience, and goals in 20 to 30 seconds. You should know the text rather than memorizing it, and you should be prepared to use it whenever an opportunity arises.

2. Know your options and utilize them

Always be alert to new networking options, and stay on top of new techniques and technology. Explore new options, and decide which ones are right for you. Networking is a mindset. Always be prepared and eager to take advantage of a networking opportunity.

3. Have a plan, but be flexible

Whether you are looking for employment or new customers and contacts or networking to expand your knowledge base, develop a plan and stick to it. Be prepared to modify your plan, and look for new options as your needs change.

4. Be organized and manage your plan

Networking is a job, not a game or a pastime. As in most other endeavours, success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration, and your level of success will depend on how much effort you put into your networking plan. Before you begin, decide how much time you are going to spend networking and build the required amount of time into your daily schedule. Develop a paper-based or computer generated system that will allow you to keep track of plans and progress. Leaving social networking sites unattended, not having a list of people who you have contacted, or not following up on promises is far worse than not networking at all.

5. Stand out from the crowd.

Be different in a positive way. If there is nothing that makes you stand out, there is no reason why employers or contacts should choose you over the competition.

How do you describe yourself or your business? If you don’t stand out in any special way, think about yourself or your business. What do you do well? What strengths do you have that employers or clients find appealing.

6. Develop good communication skills

Communication is the key to successful networking, and developing these skills is the key to a successful networking plan. Speaking, listening, body language, spelling, vocabulary, and grammar skills are all required to be an effective communicator in face-to-face or social networking situations. Listening with sympathy and interest, knowing how to start, and when to stop. “Learn to listen”, says communication guru Frank Tyger, “sometimes opportunity knocks very softly”.

7. Help others

Expressions like ‘paying it forward’ and ‘what goes around comes around’ are true. One of the best ways to network is to present yourself as a helpful, caring person. These are qualities that appeal to everyone, and people who offer help are seen as strong and capable by others. Every day there are hundreds of opportunities to help others: hold a door open, offer to help someone with luggage at an airport, offer the window seat on an airplane, offer to get a coffee for another attendee at a conference, offer your pen if someone else’s stops working, and always ask, ‘How can I help’?

8. Be professional and maintain personal integrity

Always look and act in a professional manner. Typically, a first and lasting impression is formed within seconds of meeting someone, and, unfortunately, it takes longer to forget a bad impression than a good one.

9. Be positive and don’t give up

Developing a network and learning how to recognize and best utilise new contacts takes time. Persistence pays. Know when to draw the line, and recognize the point at which following up on a contact becomes stalking.

10. Aim high and believe yourself capable of great things

This may sound cliché, but a positive attitude may be the most important skill in your networking toolkit.

Maureen Moore is a writer, post-secondary ESL instructor and workplace training developer with passions for environmental issues and cross-cultural communication throughout a 20-year professional career. For more information about Maureen and her work, visit www.maureenmoorecom.com/